Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Quiet Village - Silent Movie


Remember chill-out? The non-genre that launched a thousand compilations, most of them featuring Groove Armada’s By the River. I’m not sure if the 90s revival has started yet, but it’s surely only a matter of time, and when it does there’s surely going to be a big element of these late-night grooves.

I mention this because it’s not only the whole concept of chill-out that’s been in my mind whilst listening to Silent Movie, the debut album from Quiet Village, it’s that particular Groove Armada song that’s been revived in my mind by the lead track Victoria’s Secret. Oh, and that other downbeat monolith, Kinobe’s Slip Into Something More Comfortable.

No matter how much the press blurb might go on about ‘master crate-digger’ Joel Martin and Matt ‘Radioslave’ Edwards and their blend of acid rock, vintage soul Italian film soundtracks and BBC library music, this is just a blissed-out Balearic album, pure and simple. All the previous stuff may be true, but what I’m hearing sounds like it’s been put through an after-hours Ibizan filter. Just listen to the wave and birds sound effects, the languid horns, and the loping beats. Heck, it even veers a little towards Yacht Rock, that most Balearic of guilty pleasures. And no matter how much they might protest, this album is retro and it takes me right back to the late 90s. I totally love it.

Download: Quiet Village – Free Rider
Download: Quiet Village – Pacific Rhythm

Buy Silent Movie from Rough Trade or download from emusic.


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