Following their recent acquisition of Brooklyn's Lemonade for the September release of the band's third album, Minus Tide, boutique label Cascine seems to be cornering the market on any Balearic-enthused pop acts. After releasing their gorgeously sweeping debut album, An Album, via Acéphale at the tail end of 2011, Swedish duo Korallreven, aka Marcus Joon and Daniel Tjäder (the Radio Dept.), have found a new home with Cascine.
The label isn't the only thing Korallreven have switched up, though. Fittingly, Second Comin' follows a theme of "beginning anew and rising again," and they've made some musical tunings as well, increasing BPMs and expanding their versatility. It bears fruit from the onset: Lead track and single "Death Is Not For Us" is uplifting in spirit and body, spreading rave-y synths in all directions, scattering soulful vocals and wailing harmonica like sprinkles on a donut, while "The Highest State of Grace" dives even deeper into club culture, using synth-y strings that ascend to give meaning to the song's title.
But it's not all just about encouraging body motion. "Alone in Shinjuku" provides a welcome comedown that floats along a river of dub effects, and Japanese pop whiz Cornelius adds his own distinct virtue to the swaying, Eastern-tinged "Try Anything Once," which is desperately calling for a soca remix. Second Comin' reveals Korallreven have big, bold concepts in mind for where they can take their music. The third time will no doubt be even more charming.
(Cascine)The label isn't the only thing Korallreven have switched up, though. Fittingly, Second Comin' follows a theme of "beginning anew and rising again," and they've made some musical tunings as well, increasing BPMs and expanding their versatility. It bears fruit from the onset: Lead track and single "Death Is Not For Us" is uplifting in spirit and body, spreading rave-y synths in all directions, scattering soulful vocals and wailing harmonica like sprinkles on a donut, while "The Highest State of Grace" dives even deeper into club culture, using synth-y strings that ascend to give meaning to the song's title.
But it's not all just about encouraging body motion. "Alone in Shinjuku" provides a welcome comedown that floats along a river of dub effects, and Japanese pop whiz Cornelius adds his own distinct virtue to the swaying, Eastern-tinged "Try Anything Once," which is desperately calling for a soca remix. Second Comin' reveals Korallreven have big, bold concepts in mind for where they can take their music. The third time will no doubt be even more charming.
