AM & Shawn Lee: La Musique Numérique (Park the Van)
United by a love for vintage soundtracks and digital effects, soulful songwriter AM and omni-instrumentalist Shawn Lee issued a collaborative album of funky assortments in 2011. Now on their second album, the two demonstrate their predilections with a new collection of psychedelia-tinged earworms.
In addition to summoning the digital ghosts of soul, funk, R&B, and ragga, the album features a dazzling array of swirling effects, bass workouts, and vintage drum-machine charm. Lead single “Two Times” is representative of this “updated throwback” style, serving as a functional “Sleng Teng riddim” with fat analog tones, shuffling falsettos, and a sparkling-clean guitar solo — but also benefiting from boosted bass and production quality so glossy it could put a candy-coated low rider to shame.