Mostly known for their collaboration with Sam Smith last year with the song “Latch,” Disclosure have made a name for themselves as the duo of producers who attempt to put some soul and life into EDM.
Unlike some of their peers who are content to put out the same, boring beat-centric tracks with little differentiating itself from anything within their own discography, Disclosure are looking to be smart and creative with their productions. Their last album, 2013’s Settle, was received well by critics and the public because of their success making dance music people can actually dance to.
Despite this high bar of expectation that’s been set for them,
Disclosure delivers and exceeds all expectations on their follow up album Caracal.
Disclosure continue to be producers who let the life of their vocalists shine through on their music, while still providing a proper backbeat for dancing. As with their last album, they collaborate with multiple artists, and each of them is presented beautifully right from the beginning. The album opener “Nocturnal” features current R&B darling The Weeknd, and is a perfect setup for
every collaboration to come along. The Weeknd’s vocals are smooth and charismatic, and are perfectly complimented by the bumping beat in the background.
Sam Smith returns for a second shot at striking gold with “Omen” which, while not as good as “Latch,” is still a great song.
Disclosure themselves are at the top of their game, and their solo tracks such as “Jaded” and “Echoes” are just as good as their collaborations. Their production continues to be crisp and clean with vocals and electronic elements working in perfect harmony. Their beats are actually danceable and different enough from one other that the album doesn’t run together when the songs are listened to back-to-back.
The best track comes in the form of “Magnets,” featuring Lorde, who proves to be an absolutely perfect choice of artist for a track like this. Her voice, while normally haunting, is made to be something alluring and intriguing as the track goes on. The beat, while slower than some of the other tracks, begs to be played at a club dancefloor.
Disclosure’s knack for interesting beats and production ideas is one that catapults them miles ahead of their peers and makes them so much more interesting to listen to both on and off the dance floor. With two fantastic albums under their belt, it is only hoped that they can keep up the momentum and continue to make some amazing dance music.
