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Sun Glitters is an electronic act from Luxembourg. Luxembourg? Huh. Well, i am fairly certain that EvilSponge has never reviewed anyone from that small European country. Now, we just need to find and review an act from Lichtenstein and our European Countries Bingo Card will be complete! Any takers? (Brendan's note: I think we're looking for Andorra too.)
Sun Glitters have a few releases under their belt, a few records of mellow electronica that consists of washed out drones cascading in lovely layers over mellow, funky beats. In fact, this is not the first Sun Glitters release that has been submitted to EvilSponge. I have listened to their past few records, and, well, found those records to be okay. It's not that they're awful, far from it in fact, it is just that, well, what Sun Glitters were doing on their previous work was kind of generic. But on Scattered Into the Light the sound is fresher, more unique. I feel like Sun Glitters are now adding something to the ongoing dialog that is mellow electronica. So what changed? In short, a vocalist.
Sun Glitters is mostly one guy -- Victor Ferreira. That name sounds Portuguese, not Luxembourgian (Luxembourgish?) to me, but what do i know? Ferreira has occasionally collaborated with people before, on songs scattered here and there, including a nice collaboration with Steffaloo on her Heart Beats record. On Scattered Into the Light Ferreira brings in Italian singer Sara Cappai to lend her vocals to the record.
But it's not like he is playing back up to her, acting as her band. Instead, Ms. Cappai recorded tracks which Ferreira then fed into his computer to loop and manipulate like he would any other sample. He is starting from a fresh and lovely voice and processing it into the deep, lush layers that he has worked with for years. It's really refreshing. I like what he has done here, and i think the vocals add a lot to the release, they add something that a vocal sample does not.
I think that the record starts off really strong with When The Train Comes. This throbs and pulses with a nice hand-clap rhythm sample, which makes the track remind me of Four Tet. After three minutes, Cappai comes in, just repeating the title, her voice echoed and reverbing with the beats.
However, i think it is Three, Four Days that is the standout track here. The keyboard riff used is a staticky drone, like the sounds Boards of Canada use, but along with this Ferreira has added a clattering Four Tet beat, which contrasts nicely. Cappai's voice is an eerie whine, a vocal drone layered over the beat and the keyboards, the voice itself in layers, one slowed down to make it extra eerie. This has a great beat and that dubstep melancholia too it. Good stuff, really catchy, and a great track all around.
On I, You, We Sun Glitters channels the bright, sparkly keyboard pop of Tycho or Washed Out -- that sort of mellow yet generally cheerful stuff that is trendy these days. On Only You Cappai's vocal bit is a little less fractured. That is, Ferreira lets her sing a bit more, and the overall effect is more dreampop than electro. In fact, this song really reminds me of the track he did with Steffaloo on her Heart Beats album.
One other track of note is the record's closer, Too Much to Lose, which is, amazingly, an acoustic tune on a electropop record. Apparently Ferreira either strums a guitar or gets someone to do so while Cappai sings lightly over some clattering percussion. It's a pretty little song, and a good way to end the record.
This record is my favorite Sun Glitters album to date. Good work Luxembourg.
Now Lichtenstein -- what you got?
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