July 10, 2008

Balearic bounce [Studio]


"Life's a beach"

Summer grooves continue here at Hey! Student with the positively fluid sounds of Studio. Based in Gothenburg, Sweden, Studio churn out intricately composed space disco grooves with percolated guitar work, a variety of airy synthesizers, big piano sounds, and [gasp!] steel drums, all of which perfectly accompany a summer sundown or ride home from a raging party at 5 AM.

West Coast, the group's proper full-length, is well-paced with only six tracks, though each one is epic in sound and production, ebbing and flowing so beautifully that you feel as though you're living in slo-motion. In particular, the album's first track, "Out There", is a 16-minute magnum opus that twists and turns and is filled with so many differing musical themes that keep you guessing all along the way.

In many ways, West Coast is very similar to a Hey! Student stalwart, Out Hud, and there debut album, S.T.R.E.E.T. D.A.D., which also has few tracks, but each one is an elaborately composed instrumental work with unique musical story arches. However, while Out Hud recall the No Wave movement of the late 1970s/early 1980s, Studio is steeped in Italo-Disco sounds and the Balearic dance movement of the 1980s. Either way, both are engaging listens, and for your listening pleasure (and next summer freakout), check out "Out There", posted below and sure to get you all in a twist.



Studio - Out There [West Coast LP, 2007]

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