TWRP – New & Improved
late last year TWRP put out their newest record, New & Improved. i’ve been big on these folks since i first laid ears on Together Through Time, so let’s see what they’ve got in store for us here.
Fusion Reactor is a fun, chunky, proggy opener that shifts into what my brain interprets as like an F Zero track song, and its a bunch of fun. Bright Blue Sky looks like it was one of the singles, and i can see why. this track’s got a lovely lively pace, and i love the positive vibes on this one. i ALSO have love for you, and am proud of you. Found Your Love is really good – really like the featured vocalist, the guitar and bass are great here, and i love the horns they bring in. lotta soul and funk here thats just fun. Superior Moves leans a little heavier into the funk, which is a really good sound. its super nitpicky, but the vocal aside during the chorus (the most audible of the non-vocoded bits), is probably the weakest part of an otherwise p strong track. Planet Bass is a great (mostly) instrumental track with really fun keyboard lines and some appropriately excellent bass. also the intro was really fun, haha. Digitally Yours is really sweet. a nice kinda chill spot on the record. Polygon is the last single to be released foe the record and DAMN this track slaps the shit right off my ears. absolutely adore this track. probably my fave, but i have a hard time truly deciding between this and a later track. Whisper On the Breeze is really nice and pleasant. i love the intensity of Polygon but i like that they gave it some space to breathe in sequencing, especially here on the back end. Re-Entry is my other fave track. i like Chris Hadfield, generally, without knowing a ton about him. i know he went viral many years ago for a Bowie cover from the ISS, which was really cool, and made me expect a vocal feature here, which would be neat for those who recognized the name, but what we got instead is just fantastic. the storytelling here is fun and informative with some really neat touches, and the instrumental accompaniment is a fantastic pair. love this one. Terraform is a fun journey, this one grew on me a lot over my listens for this review and i expect it will more in later listens. i looked up the featured musician, Magic Sword, because i liked this kinda non-vocal collab between the two bands, and i feel like im gonna have to go check out more of them, haha.
faves – Bright Blue Sky, Planet Bass, Polygon, Re-Entry
dislikes –
yeah this was a fantastic listen. i had listened to both their 2019 and 2020 releases, and enjoyed both but not to the degree that i fell in love with Together Through Time. This record is their best since TTT, and def hits a bunch of similar notes in really fun and fresh ways. i love the blend of electronic, funk, and disco they have and this record delivers in spades.
New & Improved – 8/10
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