Record of the day… Skinnerbox – Sawtooth Blues
Artist: Skinnerbox
Title: Sawtooth Blues EP
Label: My Favorite Robot Records
Release: April 27th 2015
Cat. No. MFR121
My Favorite Robot Records introduce a new act to the label in the form of German pair Iftah Gabbai and Olaf Hilgenfeld aka Skinnerbox. Here they serve up three exciting new cuts and rightly call themselves an “avant-jazz opus wrapped in a disco suitcase.”
Before now the pair has released in both LP and single format on Doxa Records, BPitch Control and Treat Your DJ Right, and their arty, synth heavy sound makes perfect sense on the MFRR label.
Title track ‘Sawtooth Blues’ opens things up in gloopy style, with bendy, downbeat bass synths off set by more colourful pads up top. It’s an undulating, warm and comforting tune with a left of centre sense of melody that really resonates.
‘Sally’ is a more peak time affair with strident bass notes, buried vocal yelps and thick, purposeful synths next to more pixelated and retro chords. Kinetic and prickly, it’s a fresh and floor filling track that really stands out thanks to the fulsome and rich production.
Lastly, ‘Trimorph’ marries glassy outer space synth lines with arpeggiated melodies, wooden percussion and squelchy bass. It’s curious and involving, cerebral and physical and the groove ticks on like a metronome.
Musical and emotive yet beat driven and floor filling, this EP is another fine addition to the My Favorite Robot Records cannon.
Tracklist
1. Sawtooth Blues
2. Sally
3. Trimorph
Describe the record in five words.
Transistor based blues for everybody.
What is it about this record that will appeal to the fans?
Possibly the playfulness and the heavy synth work! the vocals and baseline of “Sawtooth Blues, the fun chords of sally and the clockwork beat of trimorph.
How does it differ from your last release?
The last release was “Time & Timbre” centric (our ableton drum-machine) -
This one is more eclectic in terms of sound and production.
What was the inspiration for this release?
An imaginery roadtrip through what we would like to belive africa will look like in 50 years
If you had the chance to play this in any club, which would it be?
Oh so many ! To many to name! but for sure we would be very pleased to hear it spinning in the next edition of Garbicz Festival
Link here – https://soundcloud.com/my-favorite-robot-records/sets/mfr121-skinnerbox-sawtooth/s-oasSp
