The AM Theory Project is the brainchild of two gifted musicians; Emily Bourbon and Alex Smith. This duo have taken the soulful vibes of trip hop and applied a selection of modernized influences to them in an effort to update the sound and the genre. Their album, Tried and Tested seems perfect as a statement not only about the genre in which they reside but a statement about their songs as well. Self-released and and produced, Tried and Tested is an excellent record that sees this group poised for a much bigger stage.
Sounding something like early Morcheeba mixed with house, drum n' bass, and your favorite chill out compilation, AM Theory Project straddle the fence between all of those genres and bend them enough to make their own songs sound like something far more than just another Portishead clone. With jazzy sounds, organ grooves, "amen breaks," and sensuous vocals, Tried and Tested plays out like a series of seductive scenes that will make your heart race just a bit faster. This is a sexy record without question, and with Emily's vocals hovering above every little note, the songs on this record sound nearly angelic. AM Theory Project have really written some beautiful stuff on this record that's sophisticated, cool, and sounds like the perfect pre-bar album.
As if to prove a point, the gorgeous, "Cloud Nine," is a perfect example of just how good the songs on Tried and Tested are. With a jazzy groove and a sort of broken beat, the song is lead with a mellow organ groove as Emily lets her vocals soar to the heavens. This song would have been gargantuan around 1995-96 and it should be really now; it's just that good. Other stand out tunes include the drum and bass beats of, "Feel Safe," and the dark sexy romp of, "One of a Kind." For the most part much of Tried and Tested is excellently produced, written, and played. The hardest thing for AM Theory Project will be straddling the right side of the fence and not becoming some schmaltzy yuppie coffee table chill out group. The've certainly got the songs to avoid that, and Tried and Tested certainly shows this duo has the potential to make the right choices repeatedly. After all AM Theory Project are tried and tested.
No comments:
Post a Comment