Saturday, 25 January 2014

Sub Focus- Torus Album Review


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Album- Torus
Artist- Sub Focus

Sub Focus is a English electronic music producer who has slowly been rising in his musical appeal, with 2013 being a good year for the artist with a couple of top twenty hits in the UK and his album, Torus, reaching number 11 in the UK album charts. The artist still has a way to go before becoming a household name in the music industry, and (although he might not want to) he still has a way to go to gain an international following. But is Torus actually a gem of an album that could actually deserve bigger success than it has?

Track 1- Torus

Title track and album opener Torus is more of a slow burning intro to the record that was initially designed as an introduction of the artists live sets. The song has this apocalyptic, tense feel that builds drama and sets things up for the listener to expect grand things from the record. The track features some rumbling bass and frenzied electro rhythms that build to towards this intense dubstep breakdown that will definitely excite the artist’s fans at live shows. The quirky opening dialogue of add a cool cinematic feel to the track, and the only real issue here is that at nearly 6 minutes in length the track kind of simmers out in energy levels before it should, and would have just worked better if the last minute or so was condensed.

3.5/5

Track 2- Safe In Sound

Featuring uncredited vocals by Julian Benetta, Safe In Sound was one of the earliest recorded tracks for the record. The song finds Benetta in this kind of apocalyptic state where things aren’t going right around him, but him and his partner are safe within the music. The lyrics are potent in their way but the chorus isn’t quite catchy enough for it to be the sole lyrical component of the track. The sampling of an Irish folk song adds a cool haunting element to the music, whilst Benetta’s vocal is strong in its wispy way where he conveys this sense of pleasure mixed with melancholy. Production wise the track features a cool blend of heavy hitting dubstep rhythms and razor sharp synth notes for a sound that is equally as dramatic and melancholic as the lyrics and vocals, whilst still being forceful and vibrant enough for the artists primary audience.

3.5/5

Track 3- Endorphins (featuring Alex Clare)

Initially featuring various female vocalists before the arrival of British singer- songwriter Alex Clare, Endorphins is a romantically intense affair featuring rumbling dance beats and an almost aggressive and melancholic tone. The song focuses on Clare wishing for this girl to want him and the fact that he doesn’t feel good enough for her, even though he cares so deeply. The weariness of the verses is nicely offset by the passion of the chorus, and Clare’s vocals nicely bring this essence of being consumed by love, with his naturally gritty tone really complimenting the simplicity of the dance sound around him The rumbling beats and build up to the post chorus dance moment is good, but when the beat kicks in for you to rave about to it doesn’t quite hit you with the force that it should.

3.5/5

Track 4- Out the Blue (featuring Alice Gold)

Out of the Blue is another song that features a cool vocal from an English singer-songwriter that you wouldn’t necessarily expect to be collaborating on a dance track. The song is all about how love is this thing that is magical and unexpected, and whilst once again we just have a simple lyrical composition of primarily the chorus and a few other lines, this time it works and the chorus really grabs your attention. This is really because of the awesome vocal that Alice Gold gives, bringing this airiness to the track that is still full of depth and nailing the emotional sentiment of the lyrics with the restraint and control of her vocals. The production features some shimmering synths and a euphoric sensibility that works really well, and at this point in the record we definitely are given a more uplifting tune, although the melancholic weariness is still there and still works really well.

3.5/5

Track 5- Twilight

Twilight is one of the more understated pieces of the set that allows you to take a rest from the dance/dubstep craziness and revel in the songs ambience. The song’s lyrics find an uncredited male vocal waiting for this magical twilight, with the vocal having a soothing quality that nicely blends with the clattering, chilled synth tones of the track, making this a cool sort of interlude within the record.

3.5/5

Track 6- Close (featuring MNEK)

Rising British singer-songwriter MNEK lends his soulful vocals to Close, a song all about love, in which MNEK feels this love that is like a dream and there is just this beautiful attraction between MNEK and this partner when they are so close to each other. MNEK is definitely the selling point for this song, giving us this soulful vocal that has this sensual edge and which brings a cool old school vibe to the track that would make it an awesome song to hear in a club setting. The style of the synth percussion and the simmering energy of the dance production creates this cool energy to the track that gives us a pure and simple dance tune not riding on the wave of bland dance rhythms that characterises the work of some DJ’s.

3.5/5

Track 7- Turn It Around (featuring Kele)

Fifth single Turn It Around is a relationship based number featuring vocals from Bloc Party lead singer Kele. The song finds Kele telling this person that he does not know what has been said about the two of them, but they can turn the relationship around and become stronger. The soft build of Kele’s vocals is smooth and enjoyable to listen to, whilst the passion of the lyrics is catchy even if the composition is a bit too simple with the use of repetition. The fuzzy dance rhythms of the track with the heavy dubstep beats and clicking synth notes is fun if a bit safe and too obviously Sub Focus at this point.

3/5

Track 8- Out of Reach (featuring Jayelldee)

Out of Reach changes things up from the stomping dance feel of the previous track to slightly more of an ambient song with an island vibe and a rock feel. The song finds guest vocalist Jayelldee singing of how she is out of reach with this person as time has gone by and they have become different people. The lyrics are simple and sweet albeit too repetitive, whilst Jayelldee gives us a smooth and light vocal performance that to me reminds me of singers of the 80’s, having a distinctive tone that is fun to hear. But once again Sub Focus makes sure that he is centre stage with the production, blending the typical array of synths and drum n bass with some electric guitar and tinny percussion that just gives the song this euphoric quality that is really lovely to hear.

3.5/5

Track 9- Falling Down (featuring Kenzie May)

Lead single Falling Down was released almost two years before the actual album and features vocals from London based singer-songwriter Kenzie May. A typical synth track with a drum n bass style, the synth hook of the track was interestingly initially designed for music group Skrilliex. Indeed the dubstep breakdown makes the song sound like it could be a Skrillex tune, but whilst that is this case, it does not mean this is a negative quality. Rather it shows that Sub Focus can deliver different types of interesting production. Kenzie May’s vocals are light and simple whilst the lyrics just create a central, catchy quality to the song, but the track is a bit lyrically sparse, and will be more appreciated by listeners who just love to hear more instrumental, production led material.

3.5/5

Track 10- Turn Back Time

With Turn Back Time Sub Focus gives us a track that harks back to the 90’s, as the song as a 90’s rave sound in terms of the bleeping electronic notes and the lush piano line. The song features smooth and rich vocals from uncredited singer Yolanda Quartey, who provides us with a performance that feels like it has been taken straight from the 90’s. The song is lyrically simple as Quartey expresses the wish to turn back time in order to be with this person. The message of turning back time is funny and intriguing against the songs throwback sound, and what Sub Focus does is brilliant, as he creates a song that is fresh and exciting, but which also feels like a well-known classic.

4/5

Track 11- You Make It Batter (featuring Culture Shock & TC)

Reportedly one of the last songs recorded for the album, You Make It Better is a simple drum n bass number from the artist with a nice hook and good vocal performance from featured artist TC. The song focuses on TC singing about how this person makes them feel like everything is alright and that they will be ok. The vocals are layered nicely and act as the songs powerful centre against the sea of swirling electro notes and heavy beats, but the track could do with a few more lyrics, as this time round the production doesn’t have quite enough power to keep you totally engaged with the music.

3/5

Track 12- Tidal Wave (featuring Alpines)

Being the singer’s highest charting track at the time of its release, Tidal Wave is a lush dance tune that deserved its success. The track is lyrically a romantically inclined tune in which guest artist Alpines sings of how this person cannot just give their feelings away like it is nothing, and they just want to break this person’s armour and feel their love collide. The lyrics are simple but poetic and rich, whilst Alpines provides a light and passionate vocal performance that gives the song a rich quality and which embeds the track in this state of euphoria. But Sub Focus is great with the production in that the stomping drum and bass breakdown and the shimmering tone of the synth notes creates an equally as euphoric essence to the song, making this a complete package that you can just lose yourself to.

4.5/5

Track 13- Until the End (featuring Foxes)

Final track Until the End features rising stars Foxes, and was reportedly inspired by the soundtrack to the 2011 film Drive. Here we find Foxes singing of how she wants this person to promise they will be there for them until the end. The lyrics could be better but the repetitive hook is catchy, whilst Foxes provides us with a distinctive and airy vocal performance that perfectly works with the songs moody sound. Sub Focus provide us with a great sound for the song with his blend of thumping bass and 80’s styled synths, creating a euphoric and moody track that acts as the perfect finish for the record.

3.5/5

Final Review

Torus is a well-designed dance music album that sees Sub Focus combine his great sound with a distinctive array of great guest vocalists. The DJ produces a good blend of synth and drum n bass led songs that work well as a cohesive piece, whilst each of the guest vocalists provide rich vocal performance that meld with the songs lyrical sensibilities. The lyrics are tightly structured and catchy, although at times things are lyrically sparse, and sometimes the production can feel a little bland. But on the whole we have an album that feels like a complete musical journey, and which shows that Sub Focus is better than his peers and deserves more success.

7.5/10

Best Track- Tidal Waves (featuring Alpines)

Worst Track- You Make It Better (featuring Culture Shock & TC)

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