Review Summary: Lush and comfortable, Sweater Beats warrants a laid-back listen.
Sweater Beats, AKA Antonio Cuna, is very aptly named indeed. Blending dream pop-esque production and undertones of R&B, Cuna has honed a very comfortable sound.
Each track seems relatively simplistic, bordering on spartan, but upon closer inspection it is surprisingly layered with diced vocal samples, deep beats, and tasteful synths. The bass-heavy production and the tasteful inclusion of keys and strings give the songs an underlying vibrancy that seems minimalist at first brush. Vocal samples and actual vocal melodies play a surprisingly large role on the EP, helping each song develop personality. Erin Marshall's vocal performance on "Do It For Me" deserves a honorable mention for being particularly lush and even endearing. And although the usage of vocal samples as just another instrument may be off-putting at first and hard to get used to, it's a pretty effective tool to make the songs more memorable and emotion-soaked. "That Feel" is an EP that's textured and processed for comfort of the listener, as each track is very listenable; it's slow-paced and low-key enough to just put on and let it blend in with the background, while at the same time containing tidbits of interesting melodies and organic production that sustain attention. "That Feel" turns out to be a warm, pleasant, and relaxing multipurpose record, like Sweater Beats' namesake garment.
