Swede:art - Emotional Colors Remixes LP (Tokyo Dawn)

Posted by Lee Jarvis in Music Reviews on Oct 14th, 2010

Tokyo Dawn Records add fourteen colorful remixes to Swede:art’s highly successful boombap album ‘Emotional Colors’. Guest artists on the original album included Duktus, Note, Pursuit Grooves, Stray, Blaktroniks, Caits Meissner and Comfort Fit, and DJs such as Laurent Garnier, Simbad and Charles Webster all chimed in with early support.

Artist: Swede:art
Release Title: Emotional Colors Remixes LP
Label: Tokyo Dawn Records

Official release date: October 21st, 2010

Sprightly, glitchy, soulful, emotive, twisted, funk-fuelled dub-electronica-step. And that is just the opening track, My Home is Not Here (Kidkanevil remix). Descriptive adjectives are hard enough to come up with; pinning a genre for the album would be ridiculous. This LP showcases a previous release on Tokyo Dawn and debut album from German wunderkid Swede:art, but it twists it into a whole new concept. As soon as you think you have the album pegged, it switches gear again, but in a good way, where there is consistent funk and a steady electronic feel to the soulful undertones. Tracks such as I’m a R.O.B.O.T. (TOKiMONSTA remix) explore hip-hop beats with added squeaks and bleeps, and the combination of Blacktroniks vocals and clunky, brave percussion reminds me of early (pre-pop) Timbaland productions. Raw, and fresh sounding.

My Home Is Not Here (Railster remix) flips it again, with nu-disco style sweeping synths and soulful chords sitting on top of dub-step influenced basslines. None of the remixers hold back, delivering freaky, daring breaks and drops with clean and punchy production whether it be instrumental cuts or full vocal remixes. The smooth, mesmerising lyrics of Pursuit Grooves and Comfort Fit get classic live drum and jarring electro-riff backing on Embrace the Chill (Waxolutionists remix), and the same original vocal gets spun into a deep house groove, accompanied by chugging bassline and sharp echoing synths on Embrace the Chill (Matt Flores remix).

Another highlight is the afro-broken-beat style cut of Underpurpled (Aroop Roy remix), with it’s smooth layering and magnetic, ass-shaking rhythm. Not to be outdone, Sex on The Airplane (Andreas Saag remix) is epic, classic house, with piano stabs and finger snaps driving along throughout. As I said, the LP is varied whilst still retaining structure, and pleasantly surprising at each turn.

For lovers of electronic music, this album is a must. It is a delve into exciting contemporary producers’ minds, a slice of laid back soul, a musical journey, a lesson and an inspiration all in one.

Standout Tracks: I’m a R.O.B.O.T. (TOKiMONSTA remix), Embrace the Chill (Waxolutionists remix), Sex on The Airplane (Andreas Saag remix).
My Cuppa T Rating: 9.5/10