With glittery nu-disco flowing out of the speakers and
Chic-man
Nile Rodgers on board, German DJ and producer
Tensnake's debut album
Glow might be taken as an opportunistic jump on the "Get Lucky"-era
Daft Punk bus, but this is one sincere and inspired effort, and one that's also sincerely funky. Funky in a way that bucks the 2014 EDM trend where everything is bigger, faster, and stronger, because as the delicious pre-album single "58BPM" with
Fiora declared, good vibrations are available in all sorts of tempos. Think
Prince with vocalist
Fiora as a post-indie protege and the
Kavinsky-meets-
the Weeknd beauty of the tune is close at hand, while the
Fiora and
Nile Rodgers number "Love Sublime" would be an asset to any given DJ set when dropped in the vicinity of
Sister Sledge,
Giorgio Moroder,
Toro y Moi, or, of course,
Daft Punk. On the other hand, play the amazingly up song "Pressure" right next to
Peter Brown's "Born to Be Alive" for some Studio 54-styled uplift, while the
Jacques Lu Cont and
Jamie Lidell feature "Feel of Love" goes well with
Shalamar's "Dead Giveaway," plus other synth-driven '80s R&B from
the System or
Andre Cymone. Still, don't think of this crafted debut as just hit after hit since chilled, head-phone tunes, like "No Colour," and strange journeys into other genres, like the broken beat and cloud rap fueled "Holla," expand the possibilities of this long-player as it enters into classic album territory. Graze on the singles and highlights and it's prime time at the coolest club in town, or settle in for the whole fully-formed ride, but either way,
Glow is all inspired aces and a can't-miss release for funkateers or nu-disco fans. [
Glow was also released with a bonus track.] ~ David Jeffries