Azari & III: Azari & III

Azari & III
Azari & III
Rating: Grrrr

2010 was the year everyone seemed to be on a 90s rave kick, every dance song flavored with glow sticks and ecstasy, and now 2011 is the come down from the excess, songs haunted by the hangovers of the the night before. Canadian mystery R&B collective The Weeknd detail nights of debauchery and shifty morality, unable to hide the shame in the blaring morning light. Similarly, Canadian house music group Azari & III also deal with the effects of all night partying, however, instead of focusing on the seediness of it all, there is much room for joy and excitement amidst all the darkness. Drawing from artists like Soul II Soul, Massive Attack, and newer acts like Hercules and Love Affair, showcasing an affinity for deep Chicago house. Azari & III are made up of Alphonse Lanza and Christian Farley on the boards, with two front vocalists, soul diva Cédric Gasaida , who is full revelry mode, tempered by the deep pulsing counterpoint voice of Fritz Helder, acting as the world weary guide to the proceedings.

The album begins with the delightful house trifle "Into The Night" chronicling the excitement of getting ready for a night of clubbing, the building energy of the hunt for sex and pleasure.



The rest of the album takes on the cycle of a night out, the highs and lows, the relentless pursuit of taking the evening to the next level. Azari & III is chocked full of amazing singles, but what could have felt like a half-assed collection of hit singles littered with forgettable filler, is expertly crafted to flow seamlessly and takes the listener on a journey.

"Reckless (With Your Love)" whose Tensnake remix was one of my top singles from last year, appears here in a slightly different, original mix. Where the Tensnake mix was all highs, the original mix is all low end bass, slinky Soul II Soul-like drums and keys, getting darker and darker as the song goes, the spiralling AIDS referencing tale of a clubber carelessly living a life of debaucherous sex.



"Hungry For The Power" utilizes the two vocalists perfectly, Cedric's voice emotional and raw, Fritz' acting like a Greek chorus in his head.


Rating Guide

"Manic" is a four-to-the-floor anthem, which answers the question what would happen if Prince, Daft Punk, and the DFA label joined forces:



"Undecided" is a great synth-pop/electro track, with slinky synths winding around the ever manic vocals, touching almost on the industrial of Nitzer Ebb.



"Lost In Time" is a snaky, synth heavy house charmer.



"Manhooker" is all sleazy, electro-house menace; a 2000s update on "I Feel Love."



The remainder of the album is completed with more experimental, instrumental tracks that touch on icy, minimalist techno ("Tunnel Vision"), hard-edged deep house ("Indigo"), and Carl Craig Detroit techno ("Infinity"). The album is impeccably produced and sounds amazing. There is essentially something for every electronic music fan, from those that love to hit the dance floor to those who prefer being cocooned in a headphone haze. The thematic elements connect all the loose strands and make this debut a cohesive narrative. Highly recommended.

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.