Album Review: JENTL – People Change
Brooklyn-based trio JENTL consists of vocalist Darren Dominique Davis, bassist Daniel Mehaffey and drummer Jimmy Arvan. Merging the sounds of classic disco, French house, soul, pop and funk, JENTL will appeal to fans of Daft Punk, Parcels, Roosevelt and similar acts.
"People Change" is their sophomore EP. The record boasts contributions from producer Dan Freeman (Honey Dijon), guitarist Russell Graham (Chic, Dua Lipa), drummer Omar Hakim (David Bowie, Daft Punk) and singer-songwriter Chris Keating (ex-Yeasayer).
The EP starts with a banger. "We Gotta Run" feels like summer heat. Its fast tempo, viscous groove and reverberated synths create the perfect soundbed for Darren's smooth vocals. The song could appeal to vastly different audiences – it would sound equally at home on a Kitsune Maison compilation or at Eurovision.
"Nobody" is a festival of timbres: wah-wah guitars, bubbly synths, tasty bass lines, rich percussive patterns and fun sound FX all create an overwhelming sonic picture that tickles the ears in all possible ways, much like Stevie Wonder's "Superstition". The song borrows heavily from Minneapolis sound and has a less evident yet strong sonic similarity with 2000s lounge (think De-Phazz).
"Relax" sounds... you guessed it – relaxing. The verses are set against very minimalistic production that doesn't get much more detailed in the pre-chorus. But when the chorus hits, it hits hard. The wealth of instrumentation brings the relaxation you expected from the second you first looked at the composition's title.
Crybaby's most strikingly element is the extremely catchy, slow, elegant chorus melody. Much like the previous track, it carefully builds tension to make the chorus sound like a gift from heaven.
"The Imposter You Know" is notable for its complicated drum groove. Interestingly, the song sounds a lot like Max Martin's famous productions for Backstreet Boys and 'NSYNC – probably because they borrowed from Prince and classic funk as heavily as JENTL.
Overall, "People Change" is a perfect summertime EP, full of juicy basslines, funky guitars and neon-tinged synths. You can never have too much music like this. And it's especially cool when a band that works in this particular style has its own sonic and melodic touch. This is the case with Jungle who found their well-deserved fame. And it's the case with JENTL that are also undoubtedly destined for success.
"People Change" is their sophomore EP. The record boasts contributions from producer Dan Freeman (Honey Dijon), guitarist Russell Graham (Chic, Dua Lipa), drummer Omar Hakim (David Bowie, Daft Punk) and singer-songwriter Chris Keating (ex-Yeasayer).
The EP starts with a banger. "We Gotta Run" feels like summer heat. Its fast tempo, viscous groove and reverberated synths create the perfect soundbed for Darren's smooth vocals. The song could appeal to vastly different audiences – it would sound equally at home on a Kitsune Maison compilation or at Eurovision.
"Nobody" is a festival of timbres: wah-wah guitars, bubbly synths, tasty bass lines, rich percussive patterns and fun sound FX all create an overwhelming sonic picture that tickles the ears in all possible ways, much like Stevie Wonder's "Superstition". The song borrows heavily from Minneapolis sound and has a less evident yet strong sonic similarity with 2000s lounge (think De-Phazz).
"Relax" sounds... you guessed it – relaxing. The verses are set against very minimalistic production that doesn't get much more detailed in the pre-chorus. But when the chorus hits, it hits hard. The wealth of instrumentation brings the relaxation you expected from the second you first looked at the composition's title.
Crybaby's most strikingly element is the extremely catchy, slow, elegant chorus melody. Much like the previous track, it carefully builds tension to make the chorus sound like a gift from heaven.
"The Imposter You Know" is notable for its complicated drum groove. Interestingly, the song sounds a lot like Max Martin's famous productions for Backstreet Boys and 'NSYNC – probably because they borrowed from Prince and classic funk as heavily as JENTL.
Overall, "People Change" is a perfect summertime EP, full of juicy basslines, funky guitars and neon-tinged synths. You can never have too much music like this. And it's especially cool when a band that works in this particular style has its own sonic and melodic touch. This is the case with Jungle who found their well-deserved fame. And it's the case with JENTL that are also undoubtedly destined for success.