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CD
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MORR 146CD
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Are you ready for a bewitching pop adventure? Ex-Fenster member Rémi Letournelle aka Slow Steve presents his debut album, Adventures, following a 7" split single on Berlin-based DIY label Späti Palace and Steps, a six-track EP released on Morr Music in 2015 (MORR 134CD/EP). His bubbling vintage synths (together with an impressive variety of instruments) take the listener on a strange trip through imagined galaxies and secret deep-sea worlds. Call it weird, but this is amateur pop in all its glory, and the most natural outlet for Slow Steve. Think of Ariel Pink, John Maus, early Future Islands, old krautrock luminaries, or Arthur Russell -- a whole school of alternative pop music that Letournelle is set to join. He recorded Adventure with producer Tadklimp over five days in WORM Studio in Rotterdam, using their many glorious vintage synthesizers, and in Tadklimp's studio in Berlin. Apart from the work of Charley Vecten, who started Slow Steve with Letournelle as a live duo in 2012, most of the instrument parts on the record were written and performed by Letournelle himself. When Letournelle moved to Berlin, he met psychedelic pop outfit and fellow Morr signees Fenster; he has since become part of their live shows and contributed to their first two albums. There are certain similarities between the washed-out sound of Fenster and Slow Steve, but Adventures sees Letournelle doing his own thing. "I had weird science fiction in mind, visions of Jules Verne drawings from the early 20th century and science fiction/action movies from the end of that same century," recalls Letournelle. "That's why it's called Adventures: I'm picturing a kind of Indiana Jones going down to the bottom of the sea, to Lilliput and other crazy, weird worlds." Song titles like "The Giant Spider Crab From Japan" imply that this is a cosmic synth dive into creepy depths. Elsewhere, one hears the inspiration that French '70s sci-fi movies and their experimental electronic scores had on Letournelle, for instance in the blissful nostalgia reverberating throughout "Oscillation." Even the sunshiny guitar pop and blurred synths of "Sloth" or "Bali" sooner or later end up as humorous excursions. All the song structures seem to follow some secret rules -- challenging but always easygoing. Adventures does what it says on the sleeve: surprise and mesmerize, wild and spaced-out. Welcome to the curious world of Slow Steve.
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LP
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MORR 146LP
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LP version. Includes download code. Are you ready for a bewitching pop adventure? Ex-Fenster member Rémi Letournelle aka Slow Steve presents his debut album, Adventures, following a 7" split single on Berlin-based DIY label Späti Palace and Steps, a six-track EP released on Morr Music in 2015 (MORR 134CD/EP). His bubbling vintage synths (together with an impressive variety of instruments) take the listener on a strange trip through imagined galaxies and secret deep-sea worlds. Call it weird, but this is amateur pop in all its glory, and the most natural outlet for Slow Steve. Think of Ariel Pink, John Maus, early Future Islands, old krautrock luminaries, or Arthur Russell -- a whole school of alternative pop music that Letournelle is set to join. He recorded Adventure with producer Tadklimp over five days in WORM Studio in Rotterdam, using their many glorious vintage synthesizers, and in Tadklimp's studio in Berlin. Apart from the work of Charley Vecten, who started Slow Steve with Letournelle as a live duo in 2012, most of the instrument parts on the record were written and performed by Letournelle himself. When Letournelle moved to Berlin, he met psychedelic pop outfit and fellow Morr signees Fenster; he has since become part of their live shows and contributed to their first two albums. There are certain similarities between the washed-out sound of Fenster and Slow Steve, but Adventures sees Letournelle doing his own thing. "I had weird science fiction in mind, visions of Jules Verne drawings from the early 20th century and science fiction/action movies from the end of that same century," recalls Letournelle. "That's why it's called Adventures: I'm picturing a kind of Indiana Jones going down to the bottom of the sea, to Lilliput and other crazy, weird worlds." Song titles like "The Giant Spider Crab From Japan" imply that this is a cosmic synth dive into creepy depths. Elsewhere, one hears the inspiration that French '70s sci-fi movies and their experimental electronic scores had on Letournelle, for instance in the blissful nostalgia reverberating throughout "Oscillation." Even the sunshiny guitar pop and blurred synths of "Sloth" or "Bali" sooner or later end up as humorous excursions. All the song structures seem to follow some secret rules -- challenging but always easygoing. Adventures does what it says on the sleeve: surprise and mesmerize, wild and spaced-out. Welcome to the curious world of Slow Steve.
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12"
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MORR 134EP
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EP version; includes download code.
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CD
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MORR 134CD
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Steps, the debut EP from Slow Steve aka Rémi Letournelle (Fenster) is a combination of mantra pop, sexy beats, and hit single karaoke with instruments, under the influence of Ariel Pink, Air, Caribou, and even Balinese music. Its six tracks were produced by Tadklimp (Fenster) in Berlin and are dedicated to old analog synthesizers. The opening track, "Minuit," feels like the echo of a party that never ends, an invitation to dance again and again. Minimalist arrangements, nagging loops, and a noisy Korg MS20 bring a touch of irony that suggests the song is less an invitation to forget daily worries than a ritualistic release. It's a rendezvous in the middle of the night, a nod to those who dance as if time doesn't exist. "Sun Moon" closes that party with tenderness, a tropical sound, and strong melodies that bring in the early morning sun, ending with an eccentric, joyful percussive performance. "Prince de Combat" further develops the Slow Steve aesthetic with instrumental dreamy choruses and an electronic waltz that slowly evolves toward a spectacular finish. The intense second half is an ode to electronic instruments, some kind of analog synth poem. "Vostok" may be the most representative song of the EP. The tone is detached but still attractive. The instrumentation is surprisingly diversified: a guitar joins synthesizers, a human voice and a vocoder duet; both excited and nonchalant, rousing and non-linear, this track sums up all the richness of Steps. "Break My Soul" is the exception to the rule. A noisy loop made with a used mechanical piano, crushed percussions, and a tired organ. An ironic interlude, like in a shaky carousel. Finally, "Aquabed" is the intimate EP's conclusion. Rhythms have disappeared, instrumentation gets down to basics. The French vocals tell the story of a journey on a hybrid vehicle, a souvenir from some utopia. It describes affection for ghosts of technology and the source of creation they represent.
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