Review: US producer Blake Robin AKA LUXXURY first emerged with a string of "unofficial remixes" of everyone from Duran Duran to Kiss back in the early 2010s. But original productions soon followed on the re-edits' heels, and so here we are nearly a full decade later with his latest outing 'Alright', a shimmery, shiny, female-vocalled nu-disco workout that should appeal to fans of artists such as Escort and Sare Havlicek. The track's supplied in five mixes, but as they're all fairly self-explanatory takes from Robin himself (Dub, Ambient, Instrumental, etc) there's not really much more to tell you, is there?
Review: Los Angeles' LUXXURY has long been a masterful creator of the kind of warming, sun-splashed fusions of disco, boogie, yacht-rock and synth-pop that sound like they were tailor-made for soundtracking long drives down the Pacific Highway at dusk. That vibe once again comes to the fore on his glossy, impeccably produced new album, Ambiance, which offers a largely vocal-free, DJ-friendly version of the simultaneously released, radio-friendly 'Alright'. What we get is pretty much the same tracks as that set, expanded to include takes on previous singles and unheard workouts. There's much more reliance on groove and instrumentation, allowing us to marvel at his mid-80s style FM synths, Hall & Oates-esque electric piano motifs, rubbery bass guitars, colourful electronic flourishes and undeniably dancefloor-ready drums. Retro-futurist nu-disco at its finest!
Review: Los Angeles-based producer LUXXURY returns with a new full-length album. Alright sees the talented producer (real name Blake Robin) experimenting with funk, synthpop and instrumentals across 11 songs which "are are all infectiously rhythmically-oriented while exploring new disco directions". Highlights include the neon-lit seduction of opening cut "What Are We Gonna Do?", the low slung and hypnotic dancefloor heater "Somebody Tonight", as well as the late-night boogie-down vibe of "Midnight Special" and the sunny and uplifting, open-air feels of "Set Me Free" (Song for a Person Walking Away) that's just perfect for this summer season.
Review: Los Angeles-based producer Blake Robin aka LUXXURY is back with "I Need Somebody", a rework of his previous single "Somebody Tonight" that's also included on this EP. Proper late night mood music if we've ever heard it, this deep disco house number features Robin's yearning vocals. The long hot summer nights continue with the equally sensual "Let's Stay Together" with its neon-lit synths and funky guitar licks underpinned by crisp beats, and ending with the low-slung heater "Midnight Special". "Buy it or risk being a laughingstock at the pool this summer" as the label put it best themselves.
Review: If you're looking for your fix of glittering, Nang-esque nu-disco then we'd heartily recommnend that you check out this two-track offering from Nolita label regular Luxxury. 'Somebody Tonight' has those shimmering 80s vibes in spades, and would be the ideal soundtrack for cruising around a marina in San Tropez with the top down - fans of the likes of Ilya Santana or Sare Havlicek are gonna love it! But its the deeper, more sensual 'Midnight Special' that takes the gold for this reviewer, thanks to the efforts of the seriously hefty funk bassline that takes centre stage throughout.
Review: Album number three from Luxxury here. But where their 2006 debut was an electro/indie-dance affair and 2014's 'Luxxury Edits' compiled a load of the hazy, dropped-tempo re-edits they're best known for, 'It's Not Funny' finds them turning in 10 tracks that operate in Nang-esque nu-disco territory... complete with all the glistening 80s pop sheen, analogue synth sounds and yacht rock-ish overtones that description implies! There's nothing especially innovative or ground-breaking going on but fans of the style will find much to enjoy here (even if the falsetto vox can get a little relentless), with standouts including the dreamy, mid-paced 'Hold On' and Scissor Sisters-esque closer 'I Wanna Be Everything'.
Review: When it comes to crafting tasty, radio-friendly disco-pop, Luxxury is a true master. His productions bristle with authentic, disco-era instrumentation, slick vocals, and the kind of hooks that will worm their way into your subconscious and remain there for months afterwards. "Feel The Night", the Los Angeles-based producer's first single of 2017, ticks all of these boxes. It boasts a strong, sing-along chorus, sharp string stabs, and some killer instrumentation from his regular backing band (think rubbery electric bass, hustling Clavinet lines, rich synth chords, and so on). It would have been nice to see the original version accompanied by some tasty, club-friendly dubs and remixes, but they may follow at a later date.
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