Disclosure - Caracal


Disclosure
Caracal
2015

When someone is forced to reinvent themselves in a landscape that they helped create there is always going to be issues. Disclosure for the most part thrust synthy smooth pop onto the scene two years ago. The changed things, and that is why Caracal coming out almost two years later had to be something special. The expectations could not have been higher for this band, they needed to deliver not only something great, but something transcendent. Caracal is not that, but it is some pretty damn smooth music. They have not really deviated from the path they set for themselves with Settle. The music is still crisp, synthy and filled with a cavalcade of stars from Lorde to The Weeknd. The in  your face popness that was tantamount to the success for the first album has dissipated a bit and the backbeat has become more dominant. Don't get me wrong the first album was for all intense and purposes a dance record, but this album is much more of that even though it is influenced with the brothers' strong ties to R&B grooves.

Despite how young Disclosure is their sense of classic is so well defined. Their music comes with such a polish and such a slick delivery you can't help but be impressed. Caracal is for sure more trimmed down than what they usually release but that house delivery, that idea of taking what works and expanding it into infinity is still there. This is the music meant for 5 am hoping that the club stays open so you don't have to see the light come flooding in. It is beautiful in a very particular way that not everyone will quite understand. As a pop record this album will certainly not do as well as their last, but for Disclosure that probably doesn't matter, they know their music and they know their audience perhaps better than we know ourselves. Caracal then becomes something to be appreciated, like a nice wine getting better and better with age and experience. For now however give it a chance, you may just enjoy yourself.

7.6 out of 10

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