Studio - Yearbook 1

Studio, "Origin (Shake You Down By The River)" (YSI link)

I mentioned Studio recently with their awesome Kylie Minogue remix, needed to put up tracks from their recent LP, Yearbook 1. This album is really just a repackaging, bringing together their earlier West Coast LP and No Comply 12" into a super-dope CD. It's probably easier to say that that is one of the best releases from 2007, one of those albums that seems completely confident in itself, in spite of, or maybe because of, the fact that the music sounds like little else out there.

We didn't really give much detail on Studio when we referenced them previously, so let's do a little background, little being the operative word. The Swedish group consists of two members, Dan Lissvik and Rasmus Hagg, who have a handful of releases on the tiny Information label. They seem to be a part of this cosmic disco/Scandalearic scene that has formed around Lindstrom and Prins Thomas, which has stretched out, slowed down and loosened up electronic music.

Yearbook 1 is only eight tracks, but it clocks in at over 70 minutes long. There aren't any bad songs in my opinion, a great mix of shorter songs and epic jams, instrumentals and vocals, cosmic disco, pop, electrorock and more comes and goes during the course of the album. Take the track above, "Origin (Shake You Down By The River)." It starts out with an warped laugh moving from one ear to the next, then what sounds like a jet takes off and out of this intro, an awesome, funky bassline, a dreamy guitar and percussion comes in and suddenly a Latin/Afrobeat-ish track quickly comes forward. As the song progresses, the pace picks up and things get more rocking, without ever feeling forced. That might be the greatest part of this album, its willingness to take its time, to not rush. Two of my favorites tracks, "Out There" and "Life's A Beach," clock in at nearly 16 minutes and 13 minutes a piece, mini-masterpieces that hearken back to the disco epics. Man, this is rad music, I can't recommend it more highly right now.

Okay, one big reason for doing this post is to help get the word out and get this CD and all of their previous work a US release. C'mon respected labels, bring this one to the states, the kids are just waiting to have the minds blown by this group. If you can afford it, cop the imported version from Amazon for a little less than $30. Or perhaps a better option is to buy West Coast, the 2006 LP, which is available for domestic prices. I mean, you really need this music in your life, let's hope someone steps up and get their upcoming album a widespread release.