- Forgive me for getting tired of the hype surrounding Kyle Hall. It's not that I don't find his story interesting or impressive, I just think that whether his music does it or not is far more important than his age or whichever wave of Detroit he's riding (we'll lose count of these soon), and that he should be appreciated without prejudice alongside every other musician. That said, the main reason why he's popular is that he is indeed talented, showcasing the melodically simple yet nail-on-the-head synth work of his hometown.
Rather than wearing his pedigree on his sleeve, however, it comes out naturally. And Sun Goddess is more straightforwardly retrospective, in a techno vein, than some of his choppier stuff like "Dr Girl Friend." Both tracks on this single are straight 4/4, providing playability that some DJs will welcome, and "Dances with a Sun Goddess" is pretty sparse and uncomplicated. Raw, tracky rat-a-tat drums, and an acidic burble which undulates, emerging and re-submerging with heavy filter and reverb, run throughout the track. Jazzy chords make an appearance, and details sit in the background, giving depth for the careful listener or for the subconscious of everyone else.
More complexity marks "Solar Funk," both in the synths and in the rhythm track. The latter has lots of elements and details, for example clicks flitting about the high end and semi-random repetitions. With the classic nature of the sounds he uses, they're clear and hit the spot. They fit nicely together, as do the harmonies of the funk bass, pads floating and soaring in the background, chord stabs and various other harmonic bits and pieces. At points the hierarchy isn't so clear, meaning the dominance of the palette is shared by too many features, but generally the whole gels into a warm and balanced consistency.
Tracklist A Solar Funk
B Dances with a Sun Goddess