Complex. Catchy. Addictive...
J. Spiegler | Long Island, NY | 01/14/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"From behind the curtains, Parov Stelar reveals a new masterpiece with Coco. His trademark style seamlessly blends the catchy sounds of 1930s jazz and swing instrumentals with bouncing hip-hop and dance beats. A careful interspersion of funky samples keeps things fresh, while edgy lyrics set the mood just right.
Truly his most complex and colorful work yet, Coco is an addictive audio-feast. Evoking images of 1940s film noir and detective mysteries ("Hurt"), Disc 1 enters familiar territory from previous LPs Rough Cuts and Seven & Storm. The moody instrumentals tell stories almost as emotionally as the sultry and smokey vocals of featured artist, Lilja Bloom (returning from the album, "Shine").
Not featured in his previous LPs, this time around Parov is able to switch gears and shift into two hip-hop tracks. Here the 1930s slide into the passenger seat as melodic background samples, while featured artist, Blaktroniks, takes you on a funky joy ride with "Let's Roll". A few mellow tracks help balance out Disc 1 with a chillout, downtempo pace. "Letoile" takes a minimalist approach with its gentle piano/synthesizer and soft beat, while Max the Sax provides fleeting saxophone riffs that quietly take center stage.
Pumping new life into old jazz, Disc 2 boosts the beats and brightens the horns. Unlike his previous LPs, this is a disc that "can be danced to" as the sticker on the cover amusingly advertises. Upbeat songs, like "The Mojo Radio Gang" and "Catgrooves", keep your hips swinging and your foot tapping. Stelar is much bolder with some the electronic samples this time around too. This heavier sound gives several tracks a powerful, gritty tone that pushes the Charleston into the dance club. (Try "Ragtime Cat" and "Fleur De Lille").
If you know who Parov Stelar is, this is a must-have album. And if you're a newcomer to Parov's unique fusion of sounds, you can't go wrong with Coco."
Fantastic
Marc | 12/09/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Parov Stelar is currently one of the best DJs in the business. This album is excellent."