Willow Beats - Be Kind to Yourself


Willow Bea ts
Be Kind to Yourself
2017
Spotify

There is something to be said going into a record somewhat blind. For most reviews I like to have my historical knowledge in place to have a context to put the band in. It gets tough to do with smaller bands especially since with the scale of this project I'm not getting albums and Bios sent to me everyday. Willow Beats was a bit of a surprise coming on my radar somewhat randomly but this new record Be Kind to Yourself is really something else. From the opening note the album feels warm and inviting, far more grounded in the feminine than most of electronic music which can often be a big time boys club. You are consumed by this album, taken in and discovered unlike anything I've really heard before. The pacing of the album is odd with some songs coming in at just a few minutes while others seem to extend far past the four minute mark. "Dvaraka" both part one and two have this incredible groove but also are so absolutely wild. It sounds like nothing I've heard before and the experience is amazing. "Flood" is a chance for the duo to get a little bit funky with this track that places layer upon layer of interesting sounds. The song seems to totally change almost every five seconds but continues to work regardless of how far they push it. Kalyani Mumtaz's vocal is so classic and so distinct that when it is combined with this weird psychedelic world it becomes almost otherworldly.

They really give you a sense of place on this album. "The Deep" in it's totally crazy way feels like an electronic version of the ocean. Nayarana Johnson takes the vocal reigns on "There is Great Power IN You" and it does lose just a bit of the goodwill they've developed, not because his vocals are bad, but because they just aren't as incredible as Kalyani's. At times the album almost feels like electronic jazz in that it feels improvised even though you know it is not. The blend is so well done on this album letting the 43 minutes just sail by. I had to pause and go back so many times while listening to this album because it's just that damn good. This is the perfect album to put on and just blast away to another galaxy for awhile. This Australian duo is really proving that they have the goods and are not afraid to try something different. This album is simply fantastic do not miss this one.

9.0 out of 10

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