Strangely irresistible.
G.Villan | travelling around the world | 03/11/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"As the title suggests, there's no bangin' techno on "Latenight Dreaming". In fact, fans of Lars Dorsch and Tom Dams (like Moodyman and Theo Parish) are going to be taken aback by their latest album.
The publicity blurb proclaims that they take their inspiration from "Antonio Carlos Jobim, Carole King, Hall & Oates, Brian Wilson, Lovin' Spoonful, Creed Taylor, Marcos Valle, the Zombies, Jay Dilla, Terry Callier, Linda Lewis and Soundtrack/Library music, amongst a host of others".
If that sounds too good to be true, I suppose it is but the eleven tracks do seem to have elements of all.
"Fly" itself is a flavoured summery flavoured pop song featuring Hamburg's Oezlem Cetin on vocals. Michelle Amador from San Francisco sings "Home" with a touch of really relaxed Mia Todd Doi about it.
Immaculate production throughout -- but wait until you hear the instrumental "Beach Towel", super late night dreams of sunny days without a care in the world. And if that got you in the mood, "Sleeping Beauty" is another exquisite soundscape.
Making their names in the nu-jazz boom, "Father, Father" is more in their natural home, although the twangy guitar (how many now?) adds a contemporary feel. And for the closing track, there's the cinematic melodrama of "Requiem/All & Everything In Between"; think of a Jona "Stop The Cavalry" Lewie on sleeping pills.
The opener "All You Ever Wanted" features the vocals of Jerome Stokes and also appears on the preview 12" (with a Marcus Worgull remix of "Father, Father" and a Tony Nwachukwu Remix of "Are We?". The album version of "Are We?" is a very gentle neo-waltz (again sung by Michelle Amador) and it's just the thing to chill out before "Carte Blanche".
All in all a very relaxing CD that's strangely unique and strangely irresistible."
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1