Side FX is Washington, DC-based and California-born singer, Kim Cameron, which creates energetic and upbeat dance, trance, electronic, and pop-driven tunes on the latest album, Spin Me Ever After. Kim is joined by keyboard, percussion, guitars, and sound effects for a stellar album of sonic beauty with washes of electronic color throughout. The dance and pop-focused set of songs are rich with slight rock textures and sweeping melodies ready to get any party started with ease.
“Spin Me Ever After” opens with a few steady clicks and an increasing electronic wash that melds into a laser-like medley of noise. Kim’s voice accompanies the background noises of dance and trance music that escalate into a percussion-driven set of stanzas. The blurby, swishy percussion and electronic accompaniments are varied and richly-textured. Kim’s voice is akin to Madonna throughout. Some of the electronic embellishments move into a high-pitched, metallic whine, while atmospheric washes weave in and out of the softer moments. The overall impression is high-quality meets high-creativity with no disappointments.
“I’m Waiting” begins with a dance beat and atmospheric washes with drippy, electronic accompaniments. Kim’s voice adds depth to the percussion and electronic-heavy song. The laser-like metallic swishes are symphonic and techno-inspired, but heavily pop-driven overall. A few piano additions pop up near the latter half of the song, along with repeated electronic sequences. This is a great dance tune with meaningful lyrics and a memorable melody.
“A Little Romance” opens with a few guitar strums and Kim’s slightly smoky vocals, along with an escalating swish sound. The swishy sounds move into a steady percussion set, but the sounds fade out to let the vocals shine at various moments. The upbeat melody, reverberating vocals, and heartfelt lyrics are unmatched by similar contemporaries, but the vocals and instrumentation are comparable to Nazanin, an Iranian dance/pop singer from Canada.
“The Man I Used To Know” opens with a bit of whistling, punchy electronic sounds, and an electric voice rendition of Kim’s vocals. The vocals are accompanied by a few whistles and swishy percussion-heavy instrumentation. The pulsating dance rhythms and background noises signify a more mature and focused dance song. The bubbly electronic vocals are accompanied by a few male vocals in the background that are indeterminate, but mainly go together with the melody.
“Feel It Back” starts out with an electronic wash and laser-like percussion set without vocals. The music quiets down, as Kim’s vocals begin, but there is still a metallic dance sound in the background that is relatively distant and muted. An electronic wash signals a buzzy and jazzy segment with a saxophone blaring in the mix without Kim’s vocals. The combination of sax and dance music is not particularly common, but Kim makes it look easy and natural. Though, the sax lightens up when Kim’s vocals take the stage. However, the sax and dance tone return near the end of the song, as repeated vocals return and slowly fade out.
Side FX (aka Kim Cameron) is an innovative, thoughtful, and creative individual with a knack for creating beautiful dance, trance, and techno-tinged songs. The new album is an invaluable product of ingeniousness, because it features clear vocals, memorable melodies, and adventurous instrumentation without compromising quality. Spin Me Ever After features vocals similar in tone to Madonna, Ace Of Base, Kylie Minogue, and Nazanin. The effects of the music will have you spinning this album over and over without fatigue. In short, the only side effects with playing this music are good and mainly involve a penchant for repeated listens. Nothing is amiss here.
Review by Matthew Forss
Rating: 5 Stars (out of 5)
