Nite Jewel - Want You Back

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  • Artists and labels who produce a relative paucity of material often leave you constantly craving more, like a tantalizing entrée at an expensive restaurant. Mike Simonetti and Johnny Jewel of Italians Do It Better have this down to a fine art: The imprint has released a steady trickle of material since 2008's After Dark compilation, but only enough to stay on the radar. Fans of Italians never leave feeling overindulged. Nonetheless, this year has seen some superb releases; from Desire's debut album to Bottin's storming "No Static," Twisted Wires' Night at the Raw Deal EP and Premier Rang's Italo gem "Les Corps Humides." And so it continues with Ramona Gonzalez's Nite Jewel project. The Californian philosophy student, conceptual artist and songwriter is a rare, elegant talent, combining ethereal vocals with a penchant for vintage recording techniques. However it's Johnny Jewel's own production methods—or, at the very least, his creative influence—that are apparent from the first piano stab on the title track of her new EP, an echo of his previous work with Chromatics, Glass Candy and Gonzalez herself. A superb piece of alternative, spooky disco, it's noticeably different from the material on Gonzalez's debut album Good Evening, which she recorded herself on a portable eight-track cassette deck. The accompanying vocal version brings her unique singing voice to the fore, making it more than mere filler or a DJ tool, eminently listenable in its own right. On the flip "All Out of Order" continues in much the same vein, trading piano and synths, but this time it's done at a much slower pace. Although there's still a nod to vintage disco in the production, both the original and the Spanish version of the track teeter on the verge of ambient, perhaps reflecting Gonzalez's love of conceptual sound and video installation art. Her straining vocals take a back seat on this occasion; the lyrics are so drowned out, they're barely intelligible.
  • Tracklist
      A1 Want You Back A2 Want You Back (Vocal Mix) B1 All Out Of Order B2 All Out Of Order (Spanish Version)
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