by Mandy Rogers
Brad Walsh is no stranger to the Billboard Hot 100, he’s secured this position firstly by striking up work-ups for Britney, Lady Gaga, and Beyonce via his website. These have led to his subsequent remixes of Adam Lambert and Sarah McLachlan to be applauded by the Billboard Hot Dance Singles Chart and thus catapult the all encompassed creative force that is Brad Walsh firmly into the public gaze.
When he isn’t taking photographs, designing jewellery or remixing somebody else, Brad is an artist in his own right with 2 self penned albums and 2 EP’s already to his name. As Album number three “Right Now” is primed to drop June 14th via his website, we are going to give you a little insight into what it has to offer.
Largely “Right Now” differs, from it’s predecessors in that it is a complete Brad production, no guest vocalists, just utterly completely Brad which has enabled him to be more creatively experimental and topically explorative, but not so at the cost of starving us of flashes of the ear friendly dance beats candy of old. Let’s just say he’s poured a little juju juice on it and boiled into a treacle of lusciously dark undertones.
From the off, opener “Right Now” kicks off as somewhat of a battle cry of low self-esteem, set to a tribal rhythm, the darkned themed soundscape then continues through onto Track two “When The Glitter Washes Away” but don’t worry it all very soon gets on the jollier side in melody, whilst retaining the gritter grip upon it’s covered topics.
You just will not be able to fight off a secret armchair bop to “Secret Eater” as Brad seemingly draws upon modern day iconic dance floor inspiration from Paul Oakenfold and Brittany Murphy’s “Faster Kill Pussycat” – pumping it, we’ve been literally perspiring beads of electro glitter to this one. As luck would have it’s already out there available for FREE via Brad’s website.
Similarly, “Addicted To The Beat” & “Drive Into You” bring you your greatest chances of a full-on bop!
This album is a conceptual art form, you feel the progressional journey it makes into it’s creators personal territory yet is identifiable from the outsider, from it’s darkest point at the beginning, through to mid-point where things take a tumble into the Justin Timberlake swagger of “Till You Memorize”, the chrome clad industrial bleats of “D.F.W.M.” arriving feet first at the house of funk and bounce in “Slow A Body Down” finishing up on euphoric note in “Hands On”.
“Right Now” is not in anyway disposable electro pop, but is an album of intelligence that inspires new thoughts upon every listen and that holds and guides your interest with a stealthful peek around the corner into the dark side for a few seconds and then out again into the candy coloured world of dance pop.
Certainly one worth scoring for the discerning electro fan when it lights up as FREE on June 14th. Will also be available on CD format through Brads webstore, and additionaly through itunes, Amazon and other digital retailers.