Surprise Chef - Superb - CASSETTES

Australia's world-renowned cinematic soul outfit Surprise Chef return with new album Superb. A record that represents a change in their creative approach and turns up the heat in their music. Trading in their meticulous writing and recording techniques for a looser and less planned approach with the intentions of bringing more levity to the process, and it comes through in spades. The high caliber musicianship is still front and center, but they push their sound into a more energetic and fun place on this album.Album opener InchSleep DreamsInch is the closest thing to a Surprise Chef tune one would come to expect, but then lead single InchBully BallInch comes on and you get the picture that they came to kick in the door on this one. The song's gritty drums thunder through the speakers and get covered with percussion, keys, bass, and guitar chanks that stay in the pocket and bring the funk with them. The band pushes the boundaries of arrangement with tunes like InchBody SlamInch that starts off like a sweet soul track then pulls a 180, turning dark and haunting, centering on a sound they created by tucking a timpani into a bathroom two doors down from the mixing board. That same sense of experimentation comes up again on InchFare EvaderInch where they pepper another neck breaking rhythm track with synth notes that sound like robot sound effects from a 70s sci-fi film. The fellas turn up the tempo for the dance with tunes like InchConsulate CaseInch and InchTag DagInch; the former pulling influence from afro-funk and the latter from jazz-funk. They take us deep into the beautiful world of Surprise Chef ballads on InchWebsitesInch and double down on their abilities to make beautiful and ethereal tracks with InchDreamer's DiseaseInch. With their new album Superb, their new approach, and plans to tour the world, we are about to see Surprise Chef take the step from the unde