UPFRONTBEATS

Monkey Safari’s third album comes in perfect time for the summer sunshine. The duo follow up their last LP, ‘Odyssey’, with this warm, inviting collection of music designed to brighten your day and complement the glorious sunny days that bless us during the summer.

Sven and Lars learned some valuable lessons from their last long-player, and the new album ‘HI’ comes from a far more relaxed, easy-going place. An organic project that came together quite naturally, their third album sees the duo in high spirits ready to bring a large dose of positive vibes and emotional depth to the party.

Kicking off with ‘Sturm’, we’re immediately immersed in a world of wistful vocals, haunting pads and emotive synth lines. This is music made to move your body and your soul. As an introduction to the album it’s ideal, providing a great juxtaposition between brooding melancholy and uplifting
vibes.

Next up is ‘Parallel Lines’, a sombre yet inspiring cut that takes us deep into Monkey Safari’s world. The folk-esque vocals ride the instrumental, which stirs your emotions giving the listener chills up and down their spine. ‘Shangri La’ is a slow burner that wouldn’t feel out of place on the Playa at Burning Man. The sultry cut builds into a crescendo of emotive sounds with a break in proceedings leading into a spine-tingling drop.

Title track ‘HI’ truly embodies the sound of the album. One of those tunes that will resonate with audiences all over the world, the universal feeling of joy it transmits has already been lifting dance floors at festivals and clubs across the world as Sven and Lars have been roadtesting it in their sets for some time now. ‘Breed’ follows next, with a more downtempo pace allowing space for contemplation. The carefully programmed beats and chimes set a calm tone, encouraging a myriad of thoughts and feelings to rise to the surface. This one builds into cacophony of strings and keys, all delicately aligned to keep the atmosphere meditative. Next is ‘Red’, a more pulsating, insistent cut with a surefire dance floor vibe. Techno fans will be relishing this cut
with its hypnotic riff and scintillating pad work.

‘New Day’ lives up to its title, evoking the feeling of those twilight hours when you’re leaving a club at dawn and the day is just beginning to get started. Monkey Safari slowly unveil the brighter side of this cut, in the same way the sun can creep up from the horizon to share its warm glow. ‘Shelter’ brings more emotional depth, with a mournful motif supporting the vocal clip. This one grows into a spinetingling affair with a breakdown that uses new wave-esque synth lines to really get you pumped with energy.

The penultimate track ‘Walls’ utilises a silky vocal once again to take us into a joyous zone. This is the kind of track that encourages you to get close to a loved one, share an intimate embrace and close your eyes as the vibrations take you to another dimension. Slow, seductive and soulful in equal measure.

Finally, ‘Love To Exist’ closes the album. A love-filled song produced with passion by the duo, who leave the listener on a high with this final cut. Kick back and soak up the warm vibes, listen to the words and fill your heart with love.

With Lars about to welcome his first child, the duo are clearly full of goodwill, optimism and good vibrations and ‘HI’ is reflective of this positive headspace. Click play, ease into the soulful selection and let the album lift your spirits’