Review by Paul D Houston
This album by NYC locals, Jasmine Golestaneh and Eddie Cooper is the ultimate culmination of what I think the year 2019 would sound like if it were music.
It honors the 1980's and 90's with its ultra-slick retro electronica vibe, minimalistic dance floor beats and shoegaze sheen. Plus lots and lots of darkness. Creeping, encroaching darkness.
Thats what 2019 feels like to me.
TEMPERS label, Dais Records has their finger on the pulse of edgy and dark tinged music at all times, but this album haunts me in a personal and kind of nostalgic manner. I love the ode to 80's synthesizer sounds first off. A lot of people are trying that these days, but only a few are landing it. TEMPERS lands it on this album. And the beats are of the kind, even clutsy people like me could dance to. I appreciate that. And then this dreamy alluring darkness that is almost a byproduct, is magical.
The lead off track from this album sums it up quite well, even if the best songs are further in on the album.
The production values on this album are top-notch and exquisite. And is again highly obvious on what is probably my favorite track on this album. It's super dark beat and drifting vocals are entrancing...
TEMPERS first album, SERVICES was really solid and you could hear so much potential in it. But, I hear so much potential in so many bands, potential that never gets realized. So, I kind of forgot about TEMPERS after listening to their first album a couple times after it came out in 2015. But, seeing that DIAS RECORDS was releasing a new album by them, I knew I was going to have to check it out.
Jasmine Golestaneh's vocals on this album are so solid and captivating. There's this amazing amount of maturity and romance in her voice. It's haunted, dark and deep and its effects are different on each song.
Another one of the songs from this album, I know I will have on repeat is, PEACE OF MIND. Its so recklessly somber. Its tragic, yet sleepy vocals are so dark and full of anguish, the beat so steady, it's a dance song for the somnambulic.
I do hear other influences beyond the topical Stranger Things theme style of songs. A few of the most obvious ones to me are the sleepy woozy shoe-gaze song styles of the Chromatics, the energized electronica infused rhythms of Royksopp and the dark soundtrack warblings of Angelo Badalamenti, among others.
Still, even with these influences, TEMPERS are their own unique thing. This album is so eloquently produced and the album is just full of one unique sound after another.
Highly recommended. Get the full album here https://tempers.bandcamp.com/album/private-life