Review: We don't know who is behind the Fabulous Lover project - for some reason, Rare Wiri has not released any details - but this debut EP is well worth checking out. Inspired by a mix of tactile, glassy-eyed British street soul, the 'quiet storm' soul-pop of Sade and the glossy, colourful sounds of mid-80s synth-soul, all four tracks are warming, laidback, softly soulful and blessed with some impeccable synth sounds. Highlights are plentiful, with our picks being the dreamy, head-nodding shuffle of deep Balearic soul number 'Evening Lights', the squelchy synth bass, smooth FM synths and AM radio-friendly warmth of nostalgic nu-disco number 'Take The Lead' and the club-ready '80s soul flex of 'It's Supposed To Feel That Way'.
Review: Did you ever hear any of those early Hard-Fi demos, recorded before any label pushed them to chase the stadium indie dollar, when their roots in house and dub were much more in evidence? That's very much what the two Electro Funk rubs (and indeed the Radio Edit) of 'Sommertime High' sound like, with an indie/rock-style vocal sounding surprisingly at home atop a dubbed-out electronic backbeat... it's an absolute killer, and has been on heavy rotation round these parts all week! The ever-reliable Manuel Costela supplies a housed-up pass for maximum reach: s'good, but this is a rare instance of a Costela remix NOT actually trumping the original for once!
Review: Rare Wiri founder Rayko serves up what is, if we're counting correctly, his fourth studio album. As such, you should have a pretty good idea what to expect by now; if not, perhaps the fact that two of those previous albums came out on Nang might give you a clue! Glossy, shimmering, synth-led nu-disco with a distinctly 80s feel is the order of the day, generally, with 'Fais Pas Amour' bringing the soulful vibes and 'Telegraph' having perhaps the most instant pop appeal, while closer 'Nightloving' stands out from the pack thanks to its slightly more down n' dirty funk edge.
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