Glow [Clean] [Bonus Track]

Audio Mixers: Marco Niemerski; Ash Workman.
With glittery nu-disco flowing out of the speakers and Chic-man Nile Rodgers on board, German DJ and producer Tensnake's debut album Glow might be taken as an opportunistic jump on the "Get Lucky"-era Daft Punk bus, but this is one sincere and inspired effort, and one that's also sincerely funky. Funky in a way that bucks the 2014 EDM trend where everything is bigger, faster, and stronger, because as the delicious pre-album single "58BPM" with Fiora declared, good vibrations are available in all sorts of tempos. Think Prince with vocalist Fiora as a post-indie protege and the Kavinsky-meets-the Weeknd beauty of the tune is close at hand, while the Fiora and Nile Rodgers number "Love Sublime" would be an asset to any given DJ set when dropped in the vicinity of Sister Sledge, Giorgio Moroder, Toro y Moi, or, of course, Daft Punk. On the other hand, play the amazingly up song "Pressure" right next to Peter Brown's "Born to Be Alive" for some Studio 54-styled uplift, while the Jacques Lu Cont and Jamie Lidell feature "Feel of Love" goes well with Shalamar's "Dead Giveaway," plus other synth-driven '80s R&B from the System or Andre Cymone. Still, don't think of this crafted debut as just hit after hit since chilled, head-phone tunes, like "No Colour," and strange journeys into other genres, like the broken beat and cloud rap fueled "Holla," expand the possibilities of this long-player as it enters into classic album territory. Graze on the singles and highlights and it's prime time at the coolest club in town, or settle in for the whole fully-formed ride, but either way, Glow is all inspired aces and a can't-miss release for funkateers or nu-disco fans. ~ David Jeffries