Jimmy Edgar ‘Majenta’

Jimmy Edgar / Majenta

CD / Digital / Vinyl 

Hotflush Recordings / Released May 2012

 

What does it sound like? 

One of Detroit’s hottest young names returns, two years after his debut (XXXX), to make an appearance on Scuba’s Hotflush, and get bass heads and new school house types more than a little excited. Serious over-hype warnings abound then, it’s wouldn’t be uncommon for something with such weighty expectancy to arrive and subsequently disappoint.

Thankfully though that’s not the case with Mr Edgar’s third long form offering. It’s a bizarre piece of work that supports the notion electronic sounds informed by retro pop are the choice du jour. Sleazy, sweaty, and apparently reeking of the night before (or maybe that’s just us), Majenta is a genuinely pleasing set of tracks that might not satisfy deep-n-epic militants, but will definitely move bodies in more diverse rooms.

Single This One’s For The Children (reviewed here) still sounds fresh with all it’s spoken work lyricism and tweaking synths, but really (and reassuringly) it’s one of the less notable outings on the disc. The breathy vocals and enormous snares of Attempt To Make It Last borders on g-funk, and should definitely be played rather loud in a park on the first day of sunshine post-purchase. Let Yourself Be will satisfy the most demanding of retro-inspired house heads, and I Need Your Control is one of those stripped, b-line led breaks that nods to everything from Prince to Detroit Grand Pubahs. Which is pretty suggestive, though a far fry from the aptly titled, explicitly written Sex Drive.

What highlights can I expect to hear? 

Heartkey stands out as perhaps the most serious thing on here, all growing an grooving techy rhythms, robotic, repetitive (albeit poppy) voices, and subtle melodic changes, but it’s also a great track in its own right. In contrast Touch Yr Bodytime is the epitome of what this LP is about really, with perspiration seemingly dripping out of the CD player when the track starts, it really depends on what kind of sweat you’re looking for.

Where can I buy it? 

Juno.


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