Panama - It's Not Over

I was a bit dubious about this album, as when I googled the band, I was linked to a heavy metal band... not really my cup of tea. Turns out I was on the completely wrong band, and luckily this Panama is a lot better. Perhaps the album is a little repetitive in places, especially on some songs, but overall it's a fantastic chilled-out listen. I really enjoyed it, and I think they could go onto big things.

Put together the electronic sound of 80s pop and a modern summer anthem and you’ll probably have the sound of Australian five-piece Panama.  Creating a sound that sounds both retro and current simultaneously is a hard feat, but Panama seem to have it spot on, with songs that wouldn’t sound out of place in the coolest clubs then and now.

From the opening synths of Heartbeat, you’re taken to a place where the sun is shining and the alcohol is free flowing.  Though the melody seems simple on first listens, it’s actually packed with layers of synths, keys, drumbeats that mould perfectly together and complement the layered vocals.  Magic, the first single from the EP, sounds like something we might expect from the likes of Friendly Fires, and a song you might listen to the morning after the night before.  More synth focused than Heartbeat, the vocals, however good they are, seem to take a backseat for this track, the complex and hypnotising music speaking for itself.

One Piece brings up the tempo, this is the track that really makes you feel like you’ve gone back in time – in a good way of course.  Listen once, and there’s no doubt you’ll be singing “It brings us back together/one piece at a time” for days.  Along with title track It’s Not Over, it’s one of the rare songs on the EP that brings variety with the melody, with small breaks in the main melody to break up the song.  Ending on a high, We Have Love is an upbeat, happy track that really sums up what Panama seem to be about – fun, dancing and 80s.

You can smell the cocktails and feel the sun with every song on this EP – perfect for forgetting those winter blues.  If you need to relieve the disco years or are bored with looking at the dreary November skies, whack this on.  You’ll be on the beach in no time. 

4/5

M83 - Steve McQueen

I fell in love with Midnight City last year

( just in case you've been living under a rock for the past year)


and luckily for me, their new single is even better. Can't fault it, so I'll let the review do the talking. Get listening.

M83 has quickly established himself as someone who isn’t afraid to push the boundaries to create music that is inspiring and daring, but has undeniably gained critical success.  Steve McQueen is no exception, initially sounding like part two of former massive hit Midnight City (if you haven’t heard it, I’m guessing you’ve been sleeping for the past year).  Laden with mesmerising synths and big drumbeats, building into a massive track with so much to give, it’s hard to take it all in with just one listen.  Not that this is a bad thing, since it leaves you wanting more with every listen.  The vocals are layered to perfection, and are enhanced by the instrumentals, rather than being lost in them.

Overall, M83 has done it again.  Steve McQueen is a gloriously uplifting track, screaming of creativity and ambition.  As everyone seems to be saying, their time in the spotlight is coming.

5/5