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Flight Night MUDDY LOOP In the liner notes for Flight Night, Muddyloop keyboardist Blonde Peterson gave props to Prince by simply asking, “Without U who am I?” It’s nice when artists actually acknowledge that sort of thing. Sure, the London-based duo could play it cool and act as if their music’s made in a vacuum, but that’s the sort of thing that causes karma to pimp slap you in front of your mother. So why not wear love for His Royal Badness on your sleeve, particularly when it makes the outfit that much more stylish?
With Blonde on the keys and Metro Williams on the drum pads, Flight Night is a ‘80s infused good time with electro and disco as inseparable partners out on the dance floor. One might think that this album’s the equivalent of a throwback hour on your radio dial, but Muddyloop manages to bring a present-day relevance to their sound. They treat electro as if it’s malleable, ready to be rolled, twisted, and pulled into the shape that they need. “Bodysweat” works a Timbaland-style percussive pattern into a slow, New Wave outer frame, transforming the track into electronic soul. “Future Romance” is less flashy in approach, but no less effective with its melancholy piano hook, Stevie Starr’s emotive vocals, and the blistering yet reflective guitar of Leon King. While a number of able vocalists contribute to this album, Leon King proves to be the secret weapon with pipes as expressive as his guitar playing. His tone is half the reason why the refrain on “Glamour Magazines” is so memorable (“Girl…why you always listen to your friends? I don’t give a damn about them.”) Meanwhile, his vocal performance on “Lonely Souls Fanclub” is something you can feel. As King wrestles with the fact that his main squeeze is no longer within reach, you can hear the heartbreak through the speakers.
Like peanut butter and jelly, electro and tales of decadence just go together, so the release of “Girl On Girl” as a single should come as no surprise. It’s the ultimate male fantasy that will never die, and Blonde and Metro lay down a rap that points directly back to Prince or Morris Day’s best pick-up lines (not to mention the fact that the backing track’s a floor-filler). Whether singing about potential sexcapades, obsessing over a “Hairstyle,” or “The Last Day On Earth,” Flight Night will keep electronic dance music enthusiasts happy. There’s no reinventing the wheel on this album, but Muddyloop will provide a tricked-out ride complete with spinning rims when the wheels stop turning. As they suggest on the title track, “The party’s over here, so get your ticket to ride.”
Jason Randall Smith 0000-00-00
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