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CD ReviewLevinhurst – “Perfect Life”By Marcus Pan
Boasting a shining career with The Cure, Lol Tolhurst tries his hand along with Dayton Borders and Cindy to create the smooth, New Order sounding Levinhurst. Debut release Perfect Life shows what experience that includes 40 platinum and gold plaques internationally can do. Debut though it may be, the music of Levinhurst is tempered and tested by the wisdom and time of its creators. The tracks tend to stay on the more minimal and dreamy side of electro-pop, never getting too bogged down with creationism. No misplaced samples, no otherworldly song-losing break downs – just smooth rhythm and synthetics spliced comfortably together and bound further by the brilliant vocals of Cindy Levinson. Sorrow for example remains low key but catchy, with a funky yet laid back metal-rhythm breakdown. Sadman is a Perfect Life highlight, showcasing how complicated you can be with just a small amount of things. Lost meanwhile steps a little up front with its heavier rhythm beats, softened by, again, Cindy's vocals. Seems to me Cindy Levinson plays a large part towards the dominance of Levinhurst's sound. But sometimes I speak to soon, as Tol's smooth drum 'n bass minimal stylings of Hope showcases his importance within just as strongly. One of few mistakes I've found on Perfect Life is the one time that Tol does throw in a crazier than usual breakdown during the course of Despair. It tends to derail the song just a bit. And the lyrics of Perfect Life as a whole themselves aren't wonderfully introspective or trippily surreal – they're just comfortable, which works fine for this sort of thing really. Perfect Life is an excellent release for anyone who wondered what New Order would sound like with a lovely vocalist of the female persuasion. On the whole it might be a bit benign – minimal in soundage and simple lyrically – but the nature of this piece is that it's meant to groove your soul, not stalk your mind. So I forgive thee. Well done. Contact Information: Click to Buy!
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Opening broodingly slow in
experimental fashion, Levinhurst had me worried at first that I was about to
deal with yet another crushing experimental ambient mish mash. Fortunately,
Vinti is only an introductory track and, once Let's Go, slides in
we find ourselves encapsulated in brilliant rhythms, strategically placed
metallic synthetics and the stylishly up front vocalizations of Cindy
Levinson.
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