How can artists who rely heavily on samples continue to evolve their sound? They could start creating more original bits, or maybe dig for ever-more-obscure records to chop from. Tiger & Woods do both on their third full-length album, A.O.D.
Before the first kick drum hits, it's clear A.O.D. signals somewhat of a departure from the rest of the Tiger & Woods catalogue, which began with a series of micro-sampling disco white labels. This time around, Marco Passarani and Valerio Delphi resist the usual golf pun — previous records include Scoring Clubs EP and Through the Green — for a title that references adult-oriented rock (in this case, the D stands for dance, instead).
Other differences strike at the core of the album. Three of the first four tracks, "Forever Summer," "Warning Fails" and "Night Quake" chug along at much slower tempos than the Italian duo usually play with. Drawling disco beats, ones that underpin layered synths, turn out to be a laidback hallmark of A.O.D. Only the fifth song, "The Bad Boys," hits a more club-friendly speed, itself trailing the standout "A Lovely Change," a melancholy slice of disco that could easily pass for a Sade reissue.
"01:00AM" is totally free of samples, which not long ago might've seemed as unlikely as a Tiger & Woods psy-trance album. Unfortunately, it's one of the album's weaker moments. No doubt the vocoder-laced endeavour draws obvious comparisons to Daft Punk. That in and of itself isn't a fault, but previously Tiger & Woods relied on old sounds to make something fresh. With "01:00AM" they're making new material that's been heard before.
Despite that, A.O.D. is a decent addition to Tiger & Woods' formidable body of work. It's not a rehash, and there's enough new ground covered to maintain interest without betraying past recordings. It's better than par for the course — it's just not a hole in one.
(Running Back)Before the first kick drum hits, it's clear A.O.D. signals somewhat of a departure from the rest of the Tiger & Woods catalogue, which began with a series of micro-sampling disco white labels. This time around, Marco Passarani and Valerio Delphi resist the usual golf pun — previous records include Scoring Clubs EP and Through the Green — for a title that references adult-oriented rock (in this case, the D stands for dance, instead).
Other differences strike at the core of the album. Three of the first four tracks, "Forever Summer," "Warning Fails" and "Night Quake" chug along at much slower tempos than the Italian duo usually play with. Drawling disco beats, ones that underpin layered synths, turn out to be a laidback hallmark of A.O.D. Only the fifth song, "The Bad Boys," hits a more club-friendly speed, itself trailing the standout "A Lovely Change," a melancholy slice of disco that could easily pass for a Sade reissue.
"01:00AM" is totally free of samples, which not long ago might've seemed as unlikely as a Tiger & Woods psy-trance album. Unfortunately, it's one of the album's weaker moments. No doubt the vocoder-laced endeavour draws obvious comparisons to Daft Punk. That in and of itself isn't a fault, but previously Tiger & Woods relied on old sounds to make something fresh. With "01:00AM" they're making new material that's been heard before.
Despite that, A.O.D. is a decent addition to Tiger & Woods' formidable body of work. It's not a rehash, and there's enough new ground covered to maintain interest without betraying past recordings. It's better than par for the course — it's just not a hole in one.
