It’s not just the passing of time that changes music, but the advancement in technology. The Luddites who’d like to carry a wind-up record player to a picnic will surely get your attention, but they’re unlikely to start a trend.
For most of us, carrying records nowadays is like walking with a weightless, gigantic library of songs in our pocket. With so much to choose from, it’s only natural that we’re drawn toward the sounds that best fit the occasion. Wandour’s Deep House mixes are designed for a specific occasion, one where neither melancholy folk songs, for example, nor the bravado of classic rock will do.
Like your favourite bathing suit, or that sleeveless T-Shirt that you like, “Iridescent Serenade” is created for the warm weather. These are six tracks that you can take with you as you go through your Summer activities. They’ll be especially well suited for beach parties, backyard get-togethers, and even relaxed road trips.
If it sounds like you’re ordering tailor-made beach music when picking up “Iridescent Serenade,” in some ways, you are. But, make no mistake about it. Just because making this music doesn’t involve getting 4-5 musicians in the same room to create the sounds doesn’t mean that it isn’t the work of a creative artist.
Quite the opposite. “Iridescent Serenade” is something of a small EDM symphony that showcases Wandour’s abilities to produce and orchestrate. Take, for example, the opening track, “Serenade,” that opens with a haunting synth motif before the beat, funky bass line, and more shimmering synths take your imagination all the way to a relaxed seaside location.
“Higher” works well with a female vocal sample of lines that encourage the listener to disconnect, let go, and free themselves from worries. And, “Shine” is built around a groove that will bring to mind 90s chart-topping dance hits.
Key to the spell of Wandour’s music is the sequencing. I’m pleased to announce that none of the six tracks break the comfortable, easy-feeling created by the opening lines. “Iridiscent” ups the ante with stronger dynamics and a distorted synth hook, but it’s the laid-back beat that dominates this track as well. Meanwhile, “Glow,” with its soulful vocals, feels like the mix meant to be played just as the Sun goes down over the beach where you’ve been partying.
Where does that leave us? The final track, “Away,” is possibly the most accomplished of these deep house mixes. It’s a hypnotic piece complete with emotional vocals and pulsating bass synths. Every party has to end. But it’s the music and the good vibes that make you want to plan for a new one as soon as possible. Wandour’s brand of dance music provides both those things.
