[rating=7.00]
Are you a live music fan who never wants the night to end, so you head to the after show electro-jam sessions? Then Teddy Midnight’s first release Velvet Blue is the jelly for your biscuit. The Brooklyn based four piece have crafted a lounge and light show combo of endless loops, riffs, synths and beats that will keep weed filled, sticky liquor drenched dancefloors pulsing until sunrise.
Opener “Velvet Mist” instantly sets the tone via its nine plus minute journey around slapped consistent disco beats, minor bass pulses, keyboard flourishes and guitar lines. Rather than building to an orgasmic release the band remains all foreplay, keeping the constant throb alive. This pattern repeats itself often on the long running release (all the tracks go on and on) as Teddy Midnight’s sole mission is to keep the bodies moving.
There are splashes of rock riffage and wah-wah funk on “Turkish Silva” while “Veni Veni Veni” makes time for drum brakes and six string solos. “Bend” incorporates a spacey Pink Floyd vibe into the dance mix while “Tree-O-Tree” seems to be the big banger, but then surprisingly never delivers the hinted at climax that was teased. Oddly closer “Blue Dream” is a tacked on experiment amongst all the dance tracks as it is the only song to incorporate vocals, scaling back the pulsing grooves.
On the flipside “Boner Vista Social Club” is the most diverse (and best) track here as it feels like time traveling Egyptian pharaohs got their hands on some Lionel Richie and decided to give it a sand blast of excitement for the new age.
The band has played after shows for The Disco Biscuits, making the late night jamband scene for some time and clearly took that party atmosphere and lathered it all over their first release. While it might be overkill for the uninitiated, Teddy Midnight have found their niche as Adam Magnan (Drums/Sampler) Sean McAuley (Keys/Percussion/Vocals) Sean Silva (Bass/ Synth) Wiley Griffin (Guitar) self produced the album, achieving the desired effect. Not for the sleepy (or not chemically altered) Velvet Blue keeps on, straight ‘til dawn.