Hello! 😊👋
Welcome to a new edition of the Daily Music Picks newsletter!
Today’s music pick is a return to form for one of dance music’s most popular and, until now, meandering duos.
Genre: Electronic, House
Label: Apollo
Release Date: July 14, 2023
Vibe: 🪩
I first became aware of Disclosure the way most did: through their remarkable debut album, Settle. Brothers Howard and Guy Lawrence rode a smash hit single, “Latch,” and a tracklist that played like a best-of saunter through house music’s illustrious past to superstardom quickly. Once that happened, their music became … I’m trying to think of a better term than “meh.” That is, until this summer. Alchemy is Disclosure’s first release since that inflection point to feature no big-name cameos or sample usage. Despite those potential limiters, the back-to-basics approach is a welcome reset sonically. They sound more relaxed, confident, and, above all else, joyous than they have in years, making this LP one of the most infectiously fun dance records of the year.
Stylistically, there’s a little something here for everyone, regardless of what your notion of the ideal club anthem should sound like. Opener “Looking For Love,” pays homage to the duo’s UK garage roots, while “Simply Won’t Do” throws it back to the late-90s/early-2000s underground, featuring a bassline that could keep up with the best of Groove Armada or Fatboy Slim. “A Little Bit” and “Sun Showers” are trance tracks that really sparkle thanks to pitched-up synths and unpredictable kicks and snares. The attention to detail in the production is incredibly satisfying from an audiophile's point of view. Rich, bright effects are used to flesh out the spaces between the beats and vocals, resulting in layered harmonies that improve on repeated listens. Overall, the LP is more preoccupied with transporting you to a sweaty nightclub dancefloor than any lingering Top 40 chart aspirations—and that’s a great thing.
👉 Don’t forget to click the album image to stream the album on your favorite platform 👈