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NBHAP Rating: 2,7/5
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[one_half last=”yes”]KISSES
Rest In Pradise
Release-Date: 09.10.2015
Label: Hit City U.S.A.
Tracklist:
01. Paradise Waiting Room
02. A Groove
03. Sun
04. Control
05. The Nile
06. Fred Roses
07. Sunset Ltd.
08. Jam
09. Eternal
10. Rest In Paradise
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Optimistic outcome
Since their last record, Kids in LA, it is clear that synthpop duo KISSES have matured significantly in their sound the music. Diverting away from the frustrated tracks of Kids in L.A., their new LP Rest in Paradise speaks to a desire for comfort, assurance and security. And the pair, themselves, have experienced some significant milestones in the 2 years since their last release. Having married and recently had a child, KISSES’ latest offering is one that is both positive and accomplished. Experience seeps into the lyrics and the surety of their sound, while the optimistic assumption that titles the album, Rest in Paradise traces its way through the lyrics and the very peppy beats.
Concept of comfort
This concept album guides us through paradise’s gates to a conclusion beyond that supposedly settles the listener beyond them. However, when listening to the album in sequence, the concept smacks of a nice idea that was not executed in a way that would either amuse or intrigue. Kicking off the album with Paradise Waiting Room could have been a clever way to lure the listener in, the track’s jazz groove certainly offers a smooth opener. However, the effect diminishes when we’re not drawn out of this lull in the next track, A Groove; in spite of the faster beats and introduction of vocals, the track is still somewhat subdued – repetitive but no means rhythmically inspiring. While 70s Disco is often cited as one of the strongest influences on KISSES, this latest album offers more overtures to melancholic indie. When this moodiness is set beside persistent and, at times, complacent rhythm, the result is somewhat lacking in passion.
Unused potential
However, as the album enters its second half, the melodies and instrumental variety attempt to claw back some of the fervour that is lost within the earlier tracks. Instead of dividing the vocal harmonies and the underlying jazz groove, KISSES combine the two. Jam starts very similarly to some earlier tracks on the LP but, this time around, the eclectic instruments create a much more interesting sound. It may be that, as their sound becomes more self-assured, Kisses will have to force themselves to keep experimenting. This band that still has so much potential – but their intriguing moments are situated in parentheses of monotony.
KISSES’ third studio album Rest In Paradise aims for musical comfort and harmony but ends up being a bit to one dimensional, compared to the duo’s previous output.
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