Review Summary: A Parov Stelar record showcasing his biggest and most confident tracks
Parov Stelar is an uncommon name in the field of acid jazz, electronic music, and even lounge. The man comes from Austria and is a stellar DJ who makes highly danceable, eagerly foot-tapping, and melodically rich tunes, all coming from the use of jazzy beats and assorted things of that nature. He’s also (which I’m sure is somewhat obvious), a hard-working DJ who works to the extreme to excite the crowd and make them roar as best as possible.
That Swing, which is technically his greatest hits album, is an album that can definitely excite a human/crowd as it’s tasteful in sound, incredibly infectious, and an outstanding soundtrack for a romantic getaway or perhaps a James Bond movie; in other words, this album simply
sounds romantic, mostly by those flirtatious saxophone leads and easy-on-the-ear male/female vocals. Corny as it may sound; this album is nothing short of awesome and a great collection of some Stelar’s biggest tracks.
The most ear-popping thing about the album, in my humble opinion, is the clean production and the organic, clean feel of the instruments. Being played through a pair of headphones, for instance, would perhaps be the proper way to listen to this, as you can
really catch those quick piano snares and bouncy saxophones competing with each other. The vocals are also phenomenal and come-as-able too; the male and female both capture a beautiful essence of power with support from the instruments; and with the acidy breaks. To be specific, though, this album illuminates with a great sense of energy and endurance. Although some tracks are genuinely mellow, most of them are hyperactive and rabid, providing something for everyone and for almost any situation. Most of the songs have a wall of instruments located in them, steaming off with more musicality and abundance for the depicted audience as well as a first-time listener.
Because of the album’s positive characteristics and relatively upbeat charm, this album is what you could call a summer album. Songs such as
The Flame perfectly go hand-in-hand with it, as the song is driven by a stomping beat and an infuriatingly catchy saxophone, all coiled up with a murky piano that bounces back and forth; the end result, therefore, yields in as a perfect lounge-about tune, and is a musical moment for the DJ.
Matilda is also a sunny jam, mainly pointed back at the upbeat nature it has with the hooky piano and stellar female vocal harmony played with it. It takes a while to build up entirely, but once it does, it detonates with a head-swinging beat and that memorable piano line. Stelar’s most famous song,
Chambermaid Swing is definitely something you’d find in a romantic/action-filled flick, or hell, even one of those cheesy sensual perfume/cologne commercials, all because of the velvety horns and the dark piano arpeggio. It’s very satisfying and arguably could be Parov Stelar’s most accolade-worthy song yet. On the other hand, though, there’s a heavy soul edge to this, mostly from
For All We Know. It’s main characteristic is the noisy sax played in the background with the mellifluous atmosphere floating as it progresses and unwinds. The truly heartfelt male vocal performance is also something you won’t see much of but on this single track. While plenty of other jams on this album have a male vocalist, his is just simply divine and blissful; his desperation and transcendental sound is a bodacious achievement. Ultimately, though, this is a strong, gripping track and the epicenter for emotion for the album.
In short, this album is a clear message that Parov Stelar is a great musician and has a touch for music. Led on with passionate support from the assorted saxophones, violins, pianos, and acid-jazz beats, this is a fascinating LP from the sadly overlooked DJ from Austria
Song recs:
Kisskiss
Matilda
The Flame
Chambermaid Swing
Autumn Beasts
For All We Know
