Neptunes

電子音楽家KAITLYN AURELIA SMITHとHOT CHIPのJOE GODDARDによるコラボEP！

Modular synth expert Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith is typically known for crafting luminous, playful soundscapes that blur the lines between new age and pop. She does occasionally flirt with dance music, particularly in the form of remixes, though 2022s especially gleeful Lets Turn It into Sound had its beat-heavy moments as well. With 2024s Neptunes EP, issued by Dominos collaborative imprint Smugglers Way, Smith teams up with Hot Chips Joe Goddard, fresh from releasing Harmonics, a full-length featuring friends and collaborators like Ibibio Sound Machine and Hayden Thorpe. Neptunes contains one joint production by Smith and Goddard, one original by each artist, and each artists remix of the others original song. The collaborative title track, "Neptunes," alludes to both the hip-hop production duo and the planet, and it mixes rippling synths with shuffling garage beats, a dark bassline, and several voices -- giggles, raps, and sung lines from both artists. At times, the arrangement is so dense that its almost dizzying, but it never sounds cluttered, and the slamming beat drives everything forward. Goddards harder-edged electro cut "Rapid Fire" features the crisply distorted voice of Laima, whose words are appropriate for the propulsive rhythm. "Around You" is Smith at her most elated. Her anticipatory lyrics are swept along by a pulsing beat outfitted with dreamy, sparkling synth textures. Goddards mix of "Around You" strips away the shimmer and emphasizes the straightforward, slightly trancey club beat. Smith goes in the opposite direction with her revision of "Rapid Fire," emphasizing the crunchiness, making the beats more abstract, and shading the track with her own ethereal vocals. Smith and Goddard maintain their distinct personalities on Neptunes, resulting in music that is both club-friendly and experimental. ~ Paul Simpson