Disclosure / Caracal
Reviewed by: Zachary McGraw
Rating: 5.5/10
If you have heard of Disclosure, it is probably due to the success of their debut album, Settle. Settle featured interesting collaborations and unique sounds and vibes from past styles of music, and helped to redefine EDM music. Caracal has a lot of these same elements, but the novelty and freshness of Disclosure’s tracks are lost in a scene saturated with the same sounds, some of which were inspired by Settle.
If we look only at Caracal, it is a well mixed album with a few good beats and some impressive collaborations with other artists like Lorde and Sam Smith. Each song has a nice bass pump feel that slowly drives the album foward. However, when I listen to electronic music, I want to listen to something that either gets me moving (head nodding, foot tapping, or even dancing), or something that has a unique and catchy sound. Unfortunately, I found Caracal to be lacking both of these characteristics.
The album had sort of a plodding feel and I rarely found myself getting into the groove for any song. In addition, nothing in the album really stuck with me or grabbed me. It’s a good album to sit down and listen to once and then to play it in the background for other tasks. In conclusion, Caracal is a well-mixed album and has a few interesting hooks, but it lacks anything substantial to keep coming back for.
FCC Violations: None
Favorite Tracks: #2, #7, #12, #9
RIYL: Porter Robinson, Empire of the Sun, Justice
