“Get off your phone!†my friend yelled. And he was right as we were at a bar for his birthday with many of us stuffed with liquor in our livers. What caught my attention though was a lengthy email I had received that was all in French with the only recognizable English word being ‘Nude’ and a link attached below it. Now what would you think is going on there … Luckily it was a Soundcloud link so it had to be music related and what I heard seriously left me craving more!
“Magic Key” is the newest track produced by French duo Velours, made up of brothers Alioch and Adrien. I shouldn’t have enticed your imagination like that — Nude is actually the well-known solo project of Alioch that is a melting pot of R&B, Electronica, and hip hop elements that can also be heard on “Magic Key.” This is the kind of track that could breathe life onto any dance floor by virtue of the suave bounce and the playful chorus that will echo in your head for hours. The disco and house influence seem as if they stem from Adrien, though what really captured my attention about “Magic Key” are the vibrant synths that are incorporated in it. The stereo field is decorated with an assortment of arpeggios and pads that are forever morphing like the opinions of a yes man – one can tell a good effort was put into the quality of the sound design.
There are points within the song where there is a lot going on … Different hi hats, percussion, subtle strings, etc. We can’t overlook the fact that the vocals are well placed; they don’t clash with the energetic movement of the drums, but actually move with them, creating a groove that makes you want to move. Seriously, the production is “tight†as the kids say these days, but what’s even “tighter†is the feeling “Magic Key” provides of wanting to get up and dance even if you got three left feet. The lyrics are filled optimism and hope, not in some deep or sentimental kind of way but in a way that reflects light-heartedness and freedom.
This is the first track out of Velours’ upcoming EP and if you enjoy the sounds of Pomo or even Kaytranada, then this would definitely be something to look out for.