Auckland, New Zealand, features the world's largest Polynesian population, year-round high temperatures between 60 and 75 degrees, and more boats per capita than anywhere else in the world. Perhaps it's no wonder, then, that the second Dream Records project for the Kiwi collective, Equippers Revolution, is such a light, breezy - and distinctly uplifting - affair.
Leaping merrily from the speakers (or ear buds), the leadoff cut, and first single, "Senses," gives a pretty good idea of what a slightly more EDM-leaning Jordan Feliz might sound like. Indeed, its finger-snapped percussion, sun-drenched melody line and absolutely buoyant lyrics ("You found me where colors fade/ And lit up my heart again / With joy I just can't contain") are an infectious one-two punch of unapologetic radiance that no self-respecting pop lover could possibly resist.
The follow-on tracks, for the most part, slot in on the same wispy, laid-back groove. Variations on the theme crop up occasionally. "Always Enough" lowers the beats-per-minute count a bit to allow for a slightly more somber aesthetic, although certainly not enough to constitute a downer or bring the proceedings to a halt. To be sure, the only arguable misstep comes in the form of the closing number, "Heaven Is Here," which tempers the electronic trappings and funk-filled rhythms of the first four entries just a bit - and winds up muting a good portion of what made those songs so appealing in the process.
Even so, this miscue is relatively minor and, all in all, isn't nearly enough to keep the average listener from enjoying, or recommending, the album as a whole. On the contrary, the engaging tunefulness, optimistic subject matter and impressively deft and light production touch of the CLRS extended player may well go a long way toward uniting members of the pop, dance and worship crowds under a single banner. Regardless of whether or not it achieves that lofty goal, though, the sprightly EP is nevertheless a hands-down winner that casts a decidedly flattering light on its youthful and talented creators.
- Review date: 5/8/18, written by Bert Gangl of Jesusfreakhideout.comRecord Label: Dream Records
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