Review Summary: The soundtrack to a very special and memorable summer.
It is now April and, with the summer fast approaching, it is important to have a soundtrack to revisit around this time each year. Many people experience summer differently and have their own nostalgic music that they like to play as they bring out their barbeques and lawn chairs. But with the richness and love of the season’s heat, and beautiful illumination brought out by the sun, this is the time that people most often come outside and get together with those that they admire most. Unfortunately, what each person’s own personal playlist lacks is a universally appealing set of tracks that will accurately express the feelings of not just them, but their present company as well. As social animals, we could all use one really fantastic album that will unite us all together to share in the good-times. So while many albums have basked in the loving light and warmth of the sun, there has never been an album that has fully captures this wondrous season’s true relevance to the human experience... until just recently. In 2009 renowned German composer Weathertunes released his own interpretation of what the ultimate summer soundtrack would sound like... and it turned out to be perfect as
Palm Beach has now become the epitome of the true summer album.
Whether one is a fan of electronic music or not,
Palm Beach draws from a wide variety of styles and has practically everything that the listener would want to hear in a summery audio depiction. Whether it is influences of funk and jazz, or chill-out and romantic guitar,
Palm Beach has it all! Smooth, jazzy saxophone lines and romantic classical guitar riffs are present in every track and are paired with completely chilled out drums to form an alluringly relaxed ensemble. Each blow from the saxophone is tepid and composed yet passionate and savory. Every strum and pluck of the strings on the guitar makes for an angelic and glossy additive with a high level of fluidity that is shared responsibly and synchronistically by the other instruments. The drums compellingly beat in a mellowed out and tranquil sequence of aural single-catchy rhythms. They conjoin with the synth and piano riffs to permeate and holistically complete each song as orchestration of the contemporary human-summer experience.
Yet what really separates
Palm Beach from the mounds of failed summer jazz-fusion projects or endless house remix compilations is the tone of the album and the structuring of each song in it. The album does not ‘try’ to define the listener’s experience but instead complements the listeners experience by comfortably adapting to the situation. Although it is entitled ‘Palm Beach’, the album is farther reaching than the name suggests. The record can be listened to and mold comfortably to the experience of being at the beach on a hot summer day but it can also mold comfortably to simply sitting on the bus, or even flipping burgers on the barbeque during a hot summer day. Its niche is less limiting than most other electronic albums that may be better apt for dancing, or mellowing out while having to drive for extended periods of time. The album does better at conforming to the listener’s situation than other albums which would normally be played in a particular situation. As well, the converging of all of the aforementioned instruments and techniques that are utilized maintain its adaptability while still firmly grasping the listener’s interest from beginning to end. There are no clearly defined ‘dry’ moments on the album but rather, an hour-long sequence of classic tracks one after the other. This relates back to structure because it is very clearly heard on the album that Weathertunes has gone through a great deal of trouble in piecing together each track so that there is a continual display of tight, intricate, and atmospheric instrumentation that is not reliant on hooks or particularly noticeable prominent features. The album as a whole stands out rather than just certain specific tracks.
Ultimately, the main focus of this review is to draw attention to the fact that this is not an album to miss out on. Actually, it is an album that is best to obtain immediately because it will greatly add to one’s over-all enjoyment of the next few months to come.
Palm Beach is a relaxed and slightly eclectic release that captures in music what is normally experienced cognitively by a person. It is an electronically styled album that fashions with it funk, jazz-fusion, and romantic-era classical guitar. It is adaptable and compatible to most situations and is excellent to have playing in the background of any social event. So while bringing out the backyard or balcony furniture, firing up the ol’ grill, re-stocking the bar, taking the yacht out for a casual mid-afternoon cruise, or whatever it is that one decides to do to kick-start their summer, make
Palm Beach the album to be playing at that time... or better yet, just have it on repeat from mid-April until mid-September because the album never gets old! It is classic from start to finish and is sure to become a classic in any avid music aficionado’s collection.
