- The Swedish artist returns with a smooth blend of house and disco.
- Fans of the recently closed Karlovak record label and the collaborations between Mr. Tophat and Art Alfie can breathe a sigh of relief: both producers are carrying on independently, just as capable of conjuring that same alchemy on their own. Exhibit A: The Bo Allan, Art Alfie's first EP on Munich's Toy Tonics. The pensive "Downstreamed" has Balearic, winding chords that will have you sinking into afterhours couches. Then there's a typically Art Alfie slice of off-kilter disco, "Like I Said," where a warped, dissociated vocal is overtaken by sumptuous strings and a buoying backbeat.
The Karlovak-esque dusty groove of "Bondkatten" feels designed to shift bums from those comfy couches, while Mount Liberation Unlimited steal the show with their ethereal "Teen Dream" version of "Downstreamed." A shimmering confection that is as gentle as it is insistent, its pastel synths cascade in a gooey, kinetic glow. The entire release is just right for Toy Tonics, and further evidence that while the label may have died, Karlovak's spirit lives on.
TracklistA1 Downstreamed
A2 Like I Said
B1 Bondkatten
B2 Downstreamed (Mount Liberation Unlimited Ethereal Teen Dream Version)