For LA DJ/Producer duo Classixx, debut album Hanging Gardens is the culmination of several years spent honing their sound and style into a definitive 12-track conclusion.
The result is so eclectic and widely influenced that it is abundantly clear on first listen that these 12 songs must have been chosen from a very long list of possible inclusions.
The fusion of retro styles and modern sounds gives Hanging Gardens the continuity characteristic of any good album as well as the boundless collection of hooks and experimentation that allows for the release of several truly distinct singles.
Title track and album-opener Hanging Gardens is as simple as it is catchy, and evokes images of the kind of joyous simplicity which might complement it – think coastlines, surf, beach parties etc. It confidently waits nearly 3 minutes before delivering its effortless groove, and, devoid of all pretension, sets a scene for the album which suggests this LA duo care more about being the soundtrack to a good time than they do about the accolades reserved for great artists.
All You’re Waiting For, the funky and euphoric 2nd track featuring Nancy Whang, comes express from another decade (guess which one) while first single Holding On is an instant, infectious hit which brings to mind a certain French DJ duo who may have had some indirect influence on its existence. The seamless combination of catchy bass lines, expertly layered synths, samples, and instantly memorable vocal hooks do more than bring to mind Daft Punk however; they neatly collate and present the best qualities of the artist in one song – a difficult task given the wide-ranging, experimental nature of the album.
At times, it does feel like this album was made my placing all of the artists’ favourite samples, instruments, and ideas in a bucket and shaking them at random onto a corrugated mat of of pre-arranged beats. But listening to each song individually does reiterate the feeling expressed in the title track; that each song has been delicately chosen to provide, or perhaps reflect, a certain element or mood - and if nothing else, every song is capable of being the bedrock of a good time.
Towards the tail end, things get a little flat (12 tracks is excessive, these days) but the effortless funk of Stranger Love and the retro dance vibe of Supernature bring things to an up-tempo finish. Both songs have undeniable groove and after one listen you could swear you’ve heard them a hundred times before.
Hanging Gardens is well put together, and though it is rare and possibly quite tough to build a successful album in this genre-fusing arena of modern music, Classixx have done more than enough with this one.
Xavier O’Malley
The result is so eclectic and widely influenced that it is abundantly clear on first listen that these 12 songs must have been chosen from a very long list of possible inclusions.
The fusion of retro styles and modern sounds gives Hanging Gardens the continuity characteristic of any good album as well as the boundless collection of hooks and experimentation that allows for the release of several truly distinct singles.
Title track and album-opener Hanging Gardens is as simple as it is catchy, and evokes images of the kind of joyous simplicity which might complement it – think coastlines, surf, beach parties etc. It confidently waits nearly 3 minutes before delivering its effortless groove, and, devoid of all pretension, sets a scene for the album which suggests this LA duo care more about being the soundtrack to a good time than they do about the accolades reserved for great artists.
All You’re Waiting For, the funky and euphoric 2nd track featuring Nancy Whang, comes express from another decade (guess which one) while first single Holding On is an instant, infectious hit which brings to mind a certain French DJ duo who may have had some indirect influence on its existence. The seamless combination of catchy bass lines, expertly layered synths, samples, and instantly memorable vocal hooks do more than bring to mind Daft Punk however; they neatly collate and present the best qualities of the artist in one song – a difficult task given the wide-ranging, experimental nature of the album.
At times, it does feel like this album was made my placing all of the artists’ favourite samples, instruments, and ideas in a bucket and shaking them at random onto a corrugated mat of of pre-arranged beats. But listening to each song individually does reiterate the feeling expressed in the title track; that each song has been delicately chosen to provide, or perhaps reflect, a certain element or mood - and if nothing else, every song is capable of being the bedrock of a good time.
Towards the tail end, things get a little flat (12 tracks is excessive, these days) but the effortless funk of Stranger Love and the retro dance vibe of Supernature bring things to an up-tempo finish. Both songs have undeniable groove and after one listen you could swear you’ve heard them a hundred times before.
Hanging Gardens is well put together, and though it is rare and possibly quite tough to build a successful album in this genre-fusing arena of modern music, Classixx have done more than enough with this one.
Xavier O’Malley