Four years since the release of their last full album, Martin Folb (MartyParty) and Josh Mayer (Ooah of The Glitch Mob) are back with PillowTalk, a 12-track journey that takes listeners through the minds of the collaboration of genius’ efforts to capture the evolving scene and sounds of 2013.
Released on The Glitch Mob’s Glass Air Records on May 25th, PANTyRAiD‘s highly anticipated album is set to launch the tag-team into a flurry of summer shows and festivals, including appearances at Lightning in a Bottle (July 11th) and WTF? Festival (July 26th).
Fans of 2009’s release The Sauce will not be disappointed, as the duo immediately lights a fire underneath PillowTalk’s opening track, “That’s The Spot”. Kicking off with a swaying pulse of retro-sounding synths, the first contact by Ooah is obvious when the glitch melody enters, and only intensifies as MartyParty gradually fuses in density to hypnotize and lock listeners in a trance. The meaning behind the title becomes clear the moment that the drop hits. Ominous echoes and reverb make your eyelids heavy, while the crunch keeps your teeth clenched tight. If you aren’t motivated to get up and put on a stank-face, perhaps your speakers aren’t loud enough.
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It seems there is a little something for everyone in PillowTalk. Listening to all twelve tracks start-to-finish exposes insight regarding the duo’s seamless experimentation with sound and rhythm variation. “Stay Up Tonight” includes the combination of moombahton-esque pulses combined with European vamps and rolling bass lines, while majority of the latter half of the album features trap drum sounds and samples accompanied by heavily influenced hip-hop rhythms. “Room Service” drops on two… Enough said, trap fans.
The constant, as always with PANTyRAiD, is the obvious attention to detail that keeps the progression of the album sounding innovative. In the current world of single “hits” dominating the charts, it is refreshing to hear an album in its entirety that sounds inter-connected and maintains flow, while still expressing creativity and avoiding monotony.
As the album takes shape, fans will welcome the venturesome reach into sub-genres that drift from PANTyRAiD’s original sound. It truly seems each section of every track was created with the “let’s see what we can really do” mentality. With Folb and Mayer both having successful solo careers, this was their time to branch out and experiment without the pressure of personal image being affected; and freedom is sweet. Each track is an individual salute to an idea that had been brewing in their heads for the past few years, and hints at personal influences can be heard throughout the forty-five minute listening experience.
I personally feel that the first half of the album dominates the second, but I don’t have many negative comments towards the creativity and imagination PANTyRAiD have managed to express in PillowTalk. These two can somehow successfully leave their signature wherever they please, and it’s exciting to know that this is only the second full-album released so far.
To purchase a copy of PillowTalk, visit PANTyRAiD’s Website and view upcoming tour dates near you!