| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
$26.99 LPx2
$11.99 CD
|
|
DISCLOSURE
Settle
(Interscope)
 "Latch" feat. Sam Smith
"Grab Her"
Definitely one of the most anticipated releases from the UK this year comes from these Internet darlings, the young Lawrence brothers, Guy (age 21) and Howard (18), b/k/a Disclosure. Sometime during 2010, they began releasing singles on Moshi Moshi and Joe Hot Chip's Greco-Roman label, but it wasn't until they found their way to London-based powerhouse PMR (also home to Julio Bashmore and Jessie Ware) that their skills started to reach high-octane levels. It's been hard to avoid the glowing press on their growing-up-in-public stream of releases over the last couple of years; their first recordings had a sort of post-James Blake cut-up R&B aesthetic that also referenced New Jersey house as well as UK garage, 2-step, and a nod to the oh-so-current dubstep/house fusion. But from their earliest MySpace days, the bros have created a signature style and sound that's all their own, evolving into a finely tuned, lean and tight dance-pop machine.
Disclosure's debut album, Settle, is a young, fresh collection of up-to-the-minute bassy, bouncing dance-pop songs. Disclosure's sound simultaneously feels new and old, in a similar way that Daft Punk are attempting to give dance music songwriting a 'quality over quantity' re-boot. It nods to history, yet Settle is the sound of young imaginations 'remembering' the 1990s that they never lived through, not dance music elders reminiscing about a 'golden era' of disco, house, techno, or whatever was cutting-edge back in their day. The album is a non-stop, up-to-date, shiny, polished, feel-good collection of top quality songs that balance classic and new, and their cut-up past with their pop present. The Lawrence charm seems to be in the brothers' ability to trim the fat, so to speak, and give you all the elements that make their music universally accessible and undeniably catchy, as well as bringing in the crème of contemporary British vocalists to get the job done, via perfect cameos from Jessie Ware, Aluna Francis (AlunaGeorge), Jamie Woon, Ed Macfarlane (Friendly Fires), Sam Smith, and Eliza Doolittle, alongside a few others. With the diversity of young voices each song is given a fresh perspective and on-point energy and spirit, with the producers giving them quality material to work with, and co-writing with their collaborators as opposed to just dumping them on top of a readymade track. But a standout actually comes from Howard Lawrence's own soulful vocals on "F For You" (the 'F' turns out to stand for fool). Alongside many full-on vocal moments, the Lawrence bros have fun with vocal cut-ups, sampling Kelis, Slum Village, Lianne La Havas, and Eric Thomas, giving the album a balanced and steady sequence with varied high points throughout.
This is music to make you happy, dance, sing along, and enjoy with no ironic bent, highbrow attitude, or moody abstractions -- just good songs, with great vocalists, fresh production and thoughtful album sequencing. It's been awhile since a debut record this self-assured and solid has reached our shelves, in any category. Settle has the ability to reach beyond the dance world, yet its soul lies within this arena, and it fully integrates the two impulses, never sacrificing pop sensibilities for groove, or abandoning sharp, edgy production for pop. Those who have enjoyed releases and/or remixes from Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Azari & III, SBTRKT, Basement Jaxxx, MJ Cole, Todd Terry, Skream, El-B, or any of the above, you need this! As a lover of the moments when pop and dance, underground and overground, lyrics and voice, production and groove all fit together into a swirl of sunshine, sweat, and good vibes, I have to say, this is where you'll find all that and more. Is it the crossover album of the year? I really think so. Big up to the '90s babies, best of the now school! [DG] |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
