Review Album of the Day: Calvin Harris - Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1

Adam Richard Wiles or better known as Calvin Harris, has stolen attention since 10 years ago released his debut album, "I Create Disco". The album, along with its follow-up, "Ready for the Weekend" (2009), confirms the figure of Harris as one of the musicians in the dance scene who dare to carry the nu-disco, although of course on some occasions still do not hesitate to bring more mainstream EDM.

But the popularity of Harris must have skyrocketed as he embraced the mainstream EDM more closely through his two successful albums, "18 Months" (2012) and "Motion" (2014), which gave us a phenomenal hit single hit single hit. His collaboration with Rihanna or Ellie Goulding, the hot name in the pop scene, paved the way Harris not only became a top DJ, but also a superstar. Coupled with the physical transformation becomes more muscular and metrosexual look ala model that followed later, perfecting the figure of kebintangannya. Being Taylor Swift's girlfriend is a bonus in itself.

After "Motion", Harris tries to change his musical style by presenting songs that move in the realm of the deep house, through successful singles like 'How Deep Is Your Love' or 'This Is What You Came For', which again invites Rihanna. But if you think these songs will be material for Harris's new album, we are wrong. To her surprise, she caught up with a reggae and tropical laidback track, 'Slide'. Frank Ocean and rapper Migos is Harris's choice as the bearer of his song.

Different, but if you look at the background of Harris, actually 'Slide' should not be weird anymore indeed. It's just that, in the midst of news if the trend EDM is entering its completion, it seems Harris also wants to change the musical direction, which could be aimed for him to remain contextual with the trend of the music industry today. Not the wrong effort, yet most of his colleagues in the realm of EDM did similar actions by presenting songs that tend to be closer to pop than dance.

But this is Calvin Harris we are talking about. He is not the DJ or most EDM musicians. He has his own vision and aesthetic music. Therefore, when he released his fifth album, "Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1 ", missing radio-friendly radio tracks or club anthem. Instead Harris presents himself as a fusion of Mark Ronson and Daft Punk, which means a thick album with funk shades, classical disco, and Harris's roots, nu-disco.

Harris's name has been so strong that it seems he has no trouble bringing many famous musicians, who come from the pop, R & B, and hip-hop spheres to fill his album. In addition to Ocean and Migos, there are Katy Perry, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, Pharrell Williams, Future, Khalid, John Legend, and more, until the uphill one like Kehlani, though still leaving room for relatively unknown newcomers Jessie Reyez.

Given the album released in the summer, then the feel of breezy and tropical coloring album with a thick. 'Slide', which served as the opening track, has become an indication. So also with the 'Feels' are busy filled by Williams, Perry and Big Sean. Williams again present a matching color when appearing with Grande and Young Thugh in the track 'Heatstroke'.

The tracks in the album do not tend to sound radio friendly, because it is more fitting it seems heard in the private space while relaxing to listen to the summer sun that was drowning or chatting with friends at a loungy cafe (or when riding the elevator, as called Eve Barlow in his review for Pitchfork).

However, Harris still leaves room for tracks like 'Skrt On Me', with dancehall rhythm sounding so tempting to dance, rather than just nodding at other songs in the album. Although we, it is difficult not to eliminate the impression if there is Rihanna also in this track other than Minaj.

Disco oldskul era of the 80s brought Kehlani and Lil Yachty in 'Faking It' also has a fresh rhythm and no less tempting. An oasis in the middle of a line of previous tracks that sound uniformly to one another. The album was closed with a track that is not less looming, which is a soft mid-tempo track with sweet vocals from Reyez.

"Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1 "is an album equipped with top quality production. Harris reiterated that he is not only a DJ, but also a multi-instrumentalist who can produce his own songs, through organic instruments, rather than a mere machine. The songs in the album are classy, ​​but overall the album feels monotonous. Harris's approach to funk or retro-dancenya is too predictable. Although some tracks sound stand-out, but not impressive, let alone everlasting as many of Harris's previous pop songs.

There is nothing new, and instead makes himself willing to be paired with Ronson for example, rather than being present as a whole Calvin Harris. With frills "Vol. 1 ", then it seems Harris will not bring another musical style to his upcoming musical project. Hopefully "Vol. 2 "comes with better dynamics than this.