Parov Stelar - The Burning Spider

Parov Stelar
The Burning Spider
2017
Spotify

Producers are often very secretive about their samples. Daft Punk famously have never publicly revealed where their crate digs have taken them, until someone recently managed to figure them all out on the internet. Parov Stelar are no different, except their brand of swinging electronic dance always captured a vibe that almost no one else can. On this album however rather than keep the samples a secret Parov Stelar have included the name of the artist, and for the most part allowed them to provide the vocal. It's an acknowledgement that does not come often enough in electronic music. Besides citing his sources however Parov Stelar have also crafted an album that captures their classic style but also pushes the electronic music forward. "Soul Fever Blues" which features the one and only Muddy Waters is so complex but at it's heart is actually a really great dance song. Parov Stelar is able to blend both the Blues soul and the dance together into something pretty special. The one thing about Parov Stelar however is just how dialed in his sound is. There may be new flourishes, or a new touch here and there but for the most part all the songs eventually end up sounding the same. This is actually great when you see them live because it ends up being this massive spectacle but on the album it feels like you are hearing the same thing over and over. It's a great sound, bright, fun and exciting but not 12 times in a row.

Anduze provides the vocals for three of the tracks on the record, but those songs seem to lack the depth that the others based in blues music have. Parov Stelar craft a vibe that is so specific it is hard to imagine yourself really listening to this music outside of a few activities. "State of the Union" unfortunately doesn't land like it should with a stellar vocal and great percussion, because it just feels like more of the same. "Beauty Mark" hovers around such a great sound but never fully actualizes it, which is so frustrating. "Black Coffee" is exactly the song you want from Parov Stelar and encompasses all of what is good about Electro Swing, but burying it as the second to last track is an odd choice. Parov Stelar has a sound that at times is hard to beat, and when you are really in the mood for this kind of music get ready. However, He just does not do enough on The Burning Spider to really make it stand out or make you want to go back and listen again. The record sort of lands in the middle ground of really great ideas, but perhaps some better execution at the album level would be helpful. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to shut up and swing.

6.9 out of 10