The burgeoning Scandinavian Balearic house scene is one that I’m very much excited about. Labels like Cascine are, inevitably, at the forefront of this new sound. One of their key acts is Shine 2009, who are promising a debut album “with nods to downtempo, soul, and golden-era hip hop.” Realism will be released on May 3.
Happily, I’ve got my hands on a pre-release copy. Yes, Cascine is that awesome. I first played this at about 4pm on a beautiful day in London, and I have to say this was the perfect soundtrack. It’s balmy, laid back, procrastinator music. Around half of today’s music is often described as “blissful,” so it is with hesitation that I describe Realism as such… but there really is no other word for it.
The album starts off with the potentially anthemic “Graduation,” which sounds similar to some other bands – Delorean and Air France come to mind – while still sounding fresh and cutting edge. These themes are maintained throughout, including a cheeky collaboration from Paula Abdul!
To me, this album evokes images of sandy beaches and blue seas – not something I’d immediately associate with Finland – but that’s true to the model Shine 2009 is purveying. They don’t do what you’d expect them to!