Giant Panda has returned! Giant Pandafs debut album, Fly School Reunion, dropped in 2005 and was received by unsuspecting ears that caught the raw sounds bursting forth.With their sophomore effort however, Giant Panda has evidently ggraduatedh.Electric Laser is the name of the game, and GP plays it well.
The production, foremost, is in many ways its predecessor, and yet it isnft.The drums still bang, with snares and kicks dominating the forefront of a large portion of the production.However, the melodies, chops, and loops arenft gtraditionallyh jazzy or funky (thatfs not to say they donft have that type of quality, so to speak).Rather, thick, electro-fused samples are laced deep in the cuts of this record providing a much more futuristic but very present musical landscape.?A track such as gJustin Caseh is a nice introduction to newcomers (just in case you didnft know) but also an introduction to the style of the album to already established fans of Giant Panda.
The writing on the album is what makes this album standout more prominently for those already acquainted to Giant Panda.Humor (see gCinemaXh and gDo The Robot In Cyberspaceh) and more serious notes (see gAIMh and gLet it Goh) are found all throughout the album, showing a different side of the Pandafs fur.Like a caged animal, Giant Panda can rage with speaker pumpinf tracks such as gSpeakers Poph and gSpeakers Funkh.The album was also recorded and mixed on analog tape, giving it extra warmth and harmonic punch.Overall Electric Laser is a step forward for Giant Panda, but still honors itfs true school mentality for their original fans. |