Expanding upon the themes presented on 2013's Misogyny Drop Dead EP, Planningtorock (aka UK-via-Berlin artist Jam Rostron) presents All Love's Legal. One thing that's immediately apparent is that despite the serious topics being discussed here — issues of trans awareness, sexual tolerance and gender equality for starters —the album is foremost bright and optimistic in tone, consciously avoiding angry polemic in favour of judicious repetition of succinct phrases delivered as positive affirmations.
Rostron adds power to simple phrases such as "Fall in love with whoever you want to," "You can't illegalise [sic] love" and "Gender's just a lie." Slogans that could, in a less well-considered context, sound trite or simplistic are here imbued with power through the passion and repetition the phrases are delivered in. Rostron's androgynously pitch-altered vocals are layered over a suitably off-kilter yet joyful palette of synthesized brass and strings that balances the artistry and the electronic wonk with the purest pop sensibility. Although the album may carry a serious and meaningful message, Rostron has enough hard-won maturity as an artist to know that vinegar only attracts flies, and All Love's Legal is a perfect marriage of thought-provoking and hip-shaking — I dare you to be able to sit still during the cheekily Salt-N-Pepa-referencing tropical house of "Let's Talk About Gender Baby," with its brash, candy horns and addictive bassline. Let's not forget the power of dance to unite disaffected individuals to eventually lead to creating a wider social tolerance; that is, after all, how disco started out.
Read an interview with Planningtorock here.
(Human Level)Rostron adds power to simple phrases such as "Fall in love with whoever you want to," "You can't illegalise [sic] love" and "Gender's just a lie." Slogans that could, in a less well-considered context, sound trite or simplistic are here imbued with power through the passion and repetition the phrases are delivered in. Rostron's androgynously pitch-altered vocals are layered over a suitably off-kilter yet joyful palette of synthesized brass and strings that balances the artistry and the electronic wonk with the purest pop sensibility. Although the album may carry a serious and meaningful message, Rostron has enough hard-won maturity as an artist to know that vinegar only attracts flies, and All Love's Legal is a perfect marriage of thought-provoking and hip-shaking — I dare you to be able to sit still during the cheekily Salt-N-Pepa-referencing tropical house of "Let's Talk About Gender Baby," with its brash, candy horns and addictive bassline. Let's not forget the power of dance to unite disaffected individuals to eventually lead to creating a wider social tolerance; that is, after all, how disco started out.
Read an interview with Planningtorock here.
