Saying something is ‘hotly anticipated’ is a horrible cliché, but in this case, true. After the stunning ‘Hooked’ it’s no surprise that Tiger Stripes' new release is coming out on a high profile label and there are few with a higher profile than Get Physical.
Mikael Nordgren chooses to bring his style closer to that of the label he’s releasing on, with a colder tech-ier feel than we're used to from this artist. The title track uses a plonking one-note bassline and siren-like crescendos to create a frenetic and out-of-control track that would feel very at home in DJ T’s record box, but it's likely to disappoint fans of ‘Hooked’ a little as it’s far less groovy and organic and quite frankly not as fun to dance to. But it has energy in spades and if hopping from one foot to another is your thing it might get you off your chair.
‘The Survivor’, over on the B-side, is the real stand-out track. It uses syncopated arpeggios to create a bouncy perky vibe very similar to ‘Hooked’ (possibly too similar if you were being unkind). It’s four-square but funky with plenty of rhythmic wrinkles to wrap your body around and uses dramatic shifts and gravelly bass noises to get fists aloft as well as hips moving. I know I’m being suckered here, because it’s definitely a formula, but this sound just makes me want to go dancing immediately. It’s got that elusive sense of warmth and emotion that you need to feel inspired but without sacrificing any of the energy that you need to keep going.
Closer, ‘Nacht’, is a drowsy, bubbly affair with a very Rising High sounding riff that feels like it’s about to break into anthemic chords but never quite does, choosing instead to hit a trancey break and then wind down slowly. The sound design is lovely and it’s very well put together so a smart DJ could probably do something impressive with it, but as a stand-alone it’s a long way from remarkable.
Get Physical continue to move with the times here and even if Nordgren hasn’t quite created another smash he’ll definitely bring his sound to a wider audience with this release.
Tracklist: Tiger Stripes - Mad At Me
A Mad At Me
B1 Survivor
B2 Nacht
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