He’s the king of artist features, got a killer bod (just Google the Calvin Klein’s campaign) and made headlines for dating young lass Taylor Swift. But, let it be known, the man can make some cracking music.
Calvin Harris is back with an album that exudes a mature and much funkier side to the Scotsman. The 10-track album is a 40-minute experience of those soulful piano melodies, buttery R&B slides and those 80s pop inspired, upbeat trebles.
I was a little bit apprehensive to give this album a listen but I must say I’m very impressed. Obviously I connect with R&B and hip-hop so the artists who feature on these tracks I enjoy listening to a lot. ‘Slide’ with Frank Ocean and ‘Heatstroke’ have already received a lot of radio play and love, but my favourite tracks, and ones to press play on, are actually ‘Rollin’, ‘Holiday’, and ‘Faking It’.
Not only are the artists who feature on these tracks so hot right now, but the beats just go that little bit extra. ‘Faking It’ is probably the most modern sounding track off the record and Snoop Dogg on ‘Holiday’ will get you in the mood with his sexy raps, not John Legend. Woof Woof Mr Dogg.
‘Skrt On Me’ needs to tone it down on Nicki Minaj’s auto tune though; it was really unpleasant to listen to and I skipped it two thirds of the way through. The track of the album though for me is ‘Feels’. You got three big names like Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry and Big Sean guesting but it just takes me to a calypso paradise.
The last track ‘Hard To Love’ introduced me to a new artist, which is something I will take away from the album. While it was a rather dark ending for the record, Jessie Reyez’s vocals are emotionally charged and unique in tonal quality; an artist I will search her original music for thanks to this track.
Calvin Harris is always on the pulse of who’s hot in music at the moment, and this album is a great refection of who’s on their A-game in 2017. Overall, the album is the perfect soundtrack for a Sunday session, and even though down under we’re not feeling those summer vibes, this will remind us of the summer that was, and what is yet to come.
Rating: ★★★
Get your mitts on ‘Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1’ now!
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author: Kara Bertoncini