Before we begin with Brothertiger, we need to dispel a couple of myths. Firstly, that you don’t need to be a Nathan Barley Hoxton Hipster to listen to chillwave. Yes, it may sound too cool on both in genre and literal connotation, but relax. Music is for everyone, remember. Secondly, it’s okay to give in to a bit of sparkle. Because, really and truly, latest record Golden Years is unashamedly twinkly in both its presentation and demeanour. It won’t do you any harm, and it won’t lose you friends. Embrace the glitter.
Okay, so now we’ve reassured you, allow us to introduce you to this deliciously executed slice of stylish nu disco. It’s a genre that’s experienced something of a revival of late, perhaps thanks to the runaway successes of the likes of M83 and let’s not forget the absolutely cracking Driversoundtrack. There are glimpses of this smooth 80s vibe (Wind At My Back is practically Ryan Gosling’s long-lost tune) that glint amid the distinctly contemporary electronica and dreamy lo fi… and it sounds divine.
The so-laid-back-they’re-almost-horizontal beats of Too Convinced To Care are offspring that would make their chillwave parents glowingly proud, effectively putting across all of the values and feeling that the genre stands for. Even more so for the sparkling synth motif that bears a startling resemblance to the sound of I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do). Come on, who the hell doesn’t enjoy a bit of Hall & Oates? Some of us perhaps like them a little too much in fact…
Despite all this chilled out stuff, there is still plenty of energy that flows out of this record. The title track is an absolute belter, combining dance-friendly rhythms with a coolly echoing lo-fi vocal and an overwhelming charm. It gets even better with the dirty throb of Out Of Line and Passion Pit-tinged Lovers delivering a groove that’d get many a discotheque buzzing across the land. If they still existed, obviously.
Brothertiger has given us a record to sink our teeth into here. It’s chilled and exciting in equal measure, to the point that we don’t know what we’re supposed to do with ourselves by the end of it. Whatever it is, it’s likely to result in dancing… and we can only apologise for our moves. - Bring The Noise UK |
