Young Hearts

Theres a soft sophistication to Dutch singer/songwriter Benny Sings music that evokes the sunny adult-contemporary pop of the 70s and early 80s. Its a vibe he has cultivated on past albums and one he brings to another level with 2023s Young Hearts. A collaboration with producer Kenny Beats, the album leans more towards the early-80s end of the throwback spectrum as Sings and Beats marry jazzy, synth-accented melodies with bubbly electronic grooves. Sings and Beats first got together for the track "Dont Look" off Sings 2021 mixtape Beat Tape II. As with that track, the songs on Young Hearts are a perfect balance of Sings laid-back melodic hooks and Beats funky, hip-hop-inspired grooves. Its an immediately infectious blend perhaps best expressed on the title track, a song that wouldnt sound out of place on a Joe Jackson album of the early 80s. Joining Sings on the track is California singer Remi Wolf, whose bright, highly resonant vocals nicely contrast with Sings more low-key style. Wolf also jumps on board for "Pyjamas," a Latin-inflected number that evokes the balmy, 70s Brazilian Tropicalia of artists like Caetano Veloso and Gal Costa. Equally expressive moments follow, including the piano-driven "The World," the bittersweet ballad "Love Will Find a Way," and the R&B-infused "Take Your Time." Young Hearts is certainly evocative of the breezy AM pop era, so much so that its easy to imagine yourself listening to the album while driving around in a convertible VW Bug. That said, the synergy between Sings and Beats gives the record a nice balance between a throwback coziness and contemporary hipness. ~ Matt Collar

日本でもさまざまなアーティストから引く手数多で、安定した人気を誇るベニー・シングス。この2年ぶりのアルバムでもソウル～ファンクやジャズ、ブラジル音楽などを滑らかに溶け合わせ、、軽やかなメロウ・グルーヴと穏やかに響く歌声、ツボを押さえたメロディーセンスなど、どこを切ってもベニー印の心地良さが約束されまくっている。"Pyjamas"にはレミ・ウルフをフィーチャー!
bounce (C)狛犬