Those waiting for the release of this album will not be disappointed. As the voice of dOP and Les Fils du Calvaire you will already be acquainted with JAW’s distinctive vocal style, and this exciting project truly sparks the imagination with collaborations via an array of notable artists. Not only that but the music reflects the diverse set of sights and sounds experienced by the vocalist in making the album, covering both the high and lows of life. In ways it’s the joint The/Das track, ‘Love Bones’ which begins the album that is my favourite with delicate vocal lines wound over electric beats and a gorgeous bassline. But then the beats drop and the tension rises on, ‘Never Forever’ along with Claude VonStroke which happens next. In fact the quality keeps coming via Art Department’s shimmering, ‘All 4 U’ and the blistering funk of Dipodaine’s remix of ‘When The Night’ co-written with Para One. However, if there’s one thing that you can say about the album is that it doesn’t sit easily in any one category with music taking in everything from acoustic guitar jams, through to House, to R&B grooves (complete with vocal effects) and then stretching even further to the Punk inspired Rock of ‘Rose Leaves’. Each track carries its own distinction and all nineteen tracks are worth the price of admission alone. ‘Midtown’ is a great album that elevates the bar in 2014.
5 out of 5
Reviewed by Greg Fenton
{http://soundcloud.com/circus-3/sets/jaw-friends-midtown-ep-preview}
