Toro y Moi ‘Returns’ with solid album
Toro y Moi’s newest album, Anything in Return, has already shown us one thing: confining Toro to the genre of chillwave was a big mistake. Anything in Return draws influences from so many genres that it can seem confused at times, but the mastery and ease with which Toro mastermind Chaz Bundick combines the best aspects of pop, hip hop, funk and R&B with house and trance-inspired dance tracks is simply mesmerizing.
The nearly flawless synthesis of musical styles found on Anything in Return makes the third record released by Toro y Moi sound more like a celebration of music itself rather than an attempt from Bundick to distance himself from the chillwave genre that he accidentally pioneered in the summer of 2010.
The undeniably seductive track “So Many Details” slowly morphs into a silky R&B jam that perfectly demonstrates Bundick’s evolution from a dorky bedroom musician via 2010’s Causers of This to a suave nightclub headliner.
Excusing the occasional misstep, Anything in Return is an enjoyable listen from start to finish, but it’s hard to tell if Bundick’s latest effort is a refreshing change in direction, or just the next logical step for his music to take.
Wolf’s Law falls short for The Joy Formidable
Fans of Welsh alt-rock trio The Joy Formidable will feel right at home with Wolf’s Law, the band’s second album. While Wolf’s Law still embodies the raucous yet refined wall of sound that The Joy Formidable historically cultivates in their songs, it’s the lyrics and songwriting that allow the album to take off rather than the epic orchestrations exploding from your speakers.
The album’s first track, “This Ladder is Ours,” opens with a questionable string instrumentation that may have been meant to set the thematic tone for the entire album, yet it is completely forgotten as soon as the band explodes onto the track with their trademark intensity.
That intensity only continues with the next song, “Cholla,” arguably the most fun track on the record thanks to its morbidly-inspired yet poppy chorus, “Where are we going? What are we doing?” that demands the listener sing along.
Tragically, the album takes a sharp detour from what makes it so much fun to listen to into unfamiliar territory for the band, such as the zany “Maw Maw Song” which reads more like an attempt to parody Black Sabbath than a serious attempt at something new.
Altogether, The Joy Formidable have created an album that’s approachable for newcomers and old fans alike, the occasional deviations from their established formula fall just shy of being innovative.
A$AP Rocky debuts a more polished sound
The major label debut by Harlem rapper ASAP Rocky, Long. Live. ASAP, marks a welcome return to the similarly-titled mixtape Live. Love. ASAP that originally launched the ASAP Mob into stardom two years ago.
While similarities between his breakout mixtape and this new record certainly do exist, the seemingly bottomless budget behind Long. Live. ASAP gives the album a more polished feel than its predecessor, but at the cost of losing the grittiness that made ASAP’s debut mixtape so addicting to hear.
Legendary producer Danger Mouse graces the album with “Pheonix,” arguably the most heartfelt song on the album. Rather than stealing the show, however, Danger Mouse expertly marries Rocky’s unapologetic flow with a delicately layered beat, giving life to the poverty-stricken past of the ASAP Mob that is easily forgotten amid all the lyrics about models and designer clothing that we’re used to hearing from Rocky.
While the lyrics are nothing short of predictable, or even safe, the production and all-star cast of guest appearances that make Long. Live. ASAP worthwhile.