Passion’s upbeat electro-pop single ‘Lean on Me’, featuring is a good place to start looking at their new album, Passion.
The song bounces along cheerily to an electronic-driven backdrop, in a similar manner to much of SBTRKT’s output, yet its lyrics are often unrecognisable. It is a fun, but by no means gripping, effort from Para One.
The rest of the album continues in the same vein, with the majority of songs containing upbeat electronic backgrounds, and trippy, hip-hop-inspired lyrics over the top. ‘Wake Me Up’ stands out as a good example of what Para One strives to achieve in his music. The song’s electronics flow well and it is arguably one of the catchiest on the album, before it concludes in a messy electronic breakdown.
‘When The Night’, featuring guest vocals from Jaws, shows that Para One has more than one string to his bow. While the discordant electronics remain, this track is made with the dance floor in mind, with Jaws providing some soul-inspired vocals and some instantly memorable choruses. ‘Albatros’ would not seem out of place on any 90’s acid-driven trance compilation, whereas album closer, ‘Empire’, harks back to Para One’s hip-hop roots, providing a laid back conclusion to the album.
Passion is, at times, a highly interesting album, as a variety of styles collide. At other times, the songs can drag a little and it can appear tiresome. Its not a bad album to have on as background music, but certainly not one that will change your life.
By Alex Neely
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