It doesn’t matter what type of music fan you are, the irrefutable feel-good effects of the likes of disco, funk and soul are hard to ignore. As we shift into the height of summer, our listening habits have changed and what better to soundtrack a summer’s day than an upbeat cohesion of those styles, syphoned through a palette of nostalgia-infused electronic sounds. Berlin-based artist, producer and vocalist Tender Games has just that with his nuanced and funky hot EP Thunder.
The title track and opening salvo is the perfect introduction to the project, simple in its arrangement, yet masterful in its execution. Layers build around one bright synth riff and as the mix fills out, it’s hard to not get lost in the groove that maintains throughout the entirety of this short-lived yet, broad project. “Delusion” takes a mild deviation sonically towards more organic sounds, with the introduction of a guitar-based groove and the first instance of his silky-smooth vocal timbre.
“Time” sees a further application of his voice, which positions his sound more as left-of-centre pop, which then evolves to accommodate an 80s R&B aesthetic on “Unfold,” completed by a tasty slap bass. Closing with “Hope,” the tone set by “Unfold,” brings the project to a rapturous, downtempo end.
Thunder is out now via Midnight Snacks.
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