The opening track of Rhye’s debut album ‘Woman’ is
outstanding. Open is a laidback, funk-soul jam indebted to Sade, with a distinctive
high-pitched tenor vocal, a lush production palette of electronic beats and
orchestral instruments, and achingly seductive melodies (“I’m a fool”
especially). As the winter weather
begins to dissipate, this is the perfect music to bliss out to in the sun. Yet there’s a downside to Open – it’s almost too good for the rest
of the album, setting a standard so high before its abrupt ending that the
other tracks just can’t stand up to it.
As such, ‘Woman’ begins on a high before gradually dying out
towards the end as interest wanes. It’s
a structure that’s paralleled by the individual tracks – Rhye are very good at
starting songs, but not so good at finishing them. Once they settle into a lazy groove, many of
the songs end all too suddenly, jerking you out of the languorous atmospherics.
Yet due to the aforementioned introductions of each track, ‘Woman’
is not without its stellar moments: the piano chords and strings of The Fall; the easy funk guitar grooves
of Last Dance and Shed Some Blood; the extended harp
introduction to the hazy synths of 3 Days;
and the listless guitar arpeggios of One
Of Those Summer Days that shimmer like a summer sunset, matched by the
saxophone. Hunger, meanwhile, is a glorious slice of Balearic electronica. The album is arresting for the distinctive
vocal and delicious orchestral production that’s all too easy to melt
into. However, collectively the
ephemeral sound of ‘Woman’ will just as easily pass you by as it will subtly
drift into your subconscious.
Still, as a whole, ‘Woman’ is an accomplished album from the
California-based duo that will likely soundtrack many holidays this summer. And then it all returns back to Open, a song so good that the album is
worth listening to for this track alone.
3/5
Gizzle's Choice:
* Open
* 3 Days
* Hunger
Listen: 'Woman' is available now.
