Hailing from Boston, roommates John Barera and Will Martin have shared a studio for a few years and their debut album on Steffi‘s Dolly Records marks their second release for the label. One of their first collaborations together was also their first introduction to Steffi, who made ‘Reality‘ the centrepiece to her Panorama Bar mix. This was followed up by an EP on Dolly, Milestones, which won plaudits for its ‘fine Detroit informed house/techno tracks’, and now their album, Graceless LP, follows suit as another ode to America’s classic dance origins.
The title track uses the layering of syncopated bongo rhythms, old school synth stabs and a twinkling melody to brilliant effect. ‘In Passing’ and ‘Moonlight’ both use looped, low-pitch walking melodies and clever percussion to produce very slick, club-ready tracks. The jewels in the crown lie with ‘It’s Alright’ and ‘Afterthought’, both designed for bringing new life to a set, with its infectious vocal hooks and basslines.
Pleasingly, not every track on Graceless is tuned for the dancefloor and readily mixable, and it’s good to see Barera and Martin making full use of the creative freedom that the album format provides. On ‘Patience’, for example, the quiet, ambient melody and soft percussion explores an area of easy listening that the duo would find difficult to make work on previous EPs and 12″ releases.
The whole album is a homage to sounds of the 80s and 90s, making each track not seem out of place against the classics, while having a certain freshness that you can’t quite put your finger on. Like ‘Reality’ was before, this album is sure to be picked up by the most respected in the industry, and with Barera already releasing a FACT mix and booked for Panorama Bar next month, we’re wondering where this upwards trajectory will lead next.
Graceless is out soon on Dolly – listen to extended clips and pre-order from Clone. John Barera plays Just Jack’s Halloween Freak Boutique next week. Keep an eye out for a Soundcloud Selections from John and Will dropping soon.
