Now that the winter is behind us (kind of), it’s time to start thinking about the summer and what that might sound like. In previous years, we have been blessed with psychedelic vibes and deep bass lines, but they have failed to become summer hits. With its new album, It’s All In Your Head, Undercover Dream Lovers want to change that.
Undercover Dream Lovers is the brainchild of Pittsburgh born, LA-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Matt Koenig. Over the last few years, he has released various EP’s and singles, trying to find the right sound, and he seems to have found it. By mixing chill vocals with nu-soul and funk, he has created, dare I say it, a new disco sound to herald in the ’20s.
Opening tracks can be difficult to pin down. Some artists start their albums with a mellow introduction, while others take a more all or nothing approach. Undercover Dream Lovers, however, plays it right down the middle. With a walking bass line, “A Way Out” may have a restrained dance beat, but a Nile Rodger’s standard-issue guitar line pushes this track from a mellow disco tune to a dance classic. On first listen, it seems like a run of the mill dance track, but after a couple of listens, you won’t be able to get this one out of your head.
The album is full of incredible music, and “Chardonnay” is by far the best track on the album. It has everything you would expect from a new wave of disco/dance music; funky, catchy, and makes you move. It is carefree disco and has a bass line that could coax even those of us who are funk-less into a disco state.
It’s All In Your Head is, for the most part, a fast-paced, dance-inducing album. But like every good mix-tape, there must be a combination of both highs and lows. “Everyone’s Confused” is slow but not without a toe-tapping beat. It is spacey, with muted vocals and quivering synths and is a song for many occasions, from road trips to days beside the pool, blending smoothly into the background making and is sure to become the soundtrack to the summer.
With the exception of some production and songwriting help, Koenig has created the album all on his own. With bass lines and disco rhythms, Undercover Dream Lover bridges the gap between the disco era and now. He keeps some common disco and funk characteristics in his music but taps into something that is both modern and chill, perfect for the summer.
Rating: 8.7/10
