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Sweet Mix Kids - Album Review: Stargazing

17 Oct 2022 // A review by Callum Wagstaff

Sweet Mix Kids are an Auckland DJ/Production duo made up of Sandon James and Chris Scott. They've played some of the hottest parties around the world, including a sold out 14,000 Synthony show at Spark Arena.

Stargazing is a disco influenced intergalactic journey featuring an eclectic line-up of NZ and international guests. It's sparkly and slick, covered in classic affectations of soul, funk, jazz and R&B as well as retro vibes from the last 30 to 40 years. Deep Diving ft Pati even makes a Spice Girls reference; a sultry and understated delivery of the classic refrain "tell you what I want, what I really really want" within a musical setting that evokes 2002 Jennifer Lopez.

Never Going Home
Feat. GetSet & Zado conjures nostalgia for upbeat M-People anthems with revelling trumpet melodies. 80's movie synth bleeds through tracks like Stranger Danger Feat. Vikae and Indian Palms Feat. Sens F.

Indian Palms also features a bass tone that purrs like a panther. It's a great example of how Sweet Mix Kids can fold together vintage disco with retro pop and slick, modern dance production. Sincere ft Blake is one of my favourite tracks. It merges a subdued, headachey low end that feels like you're drunk at a heated pool party with crisp clean vocal delivery and a jazzy bent to the chords.

The album is full of clever and catchy cadences and vocal rhythms supplied by the talented line-up of features. Every chorus shape seems to grab your attention with enough curves and edges to the delivery that it becomes stuck in your head after the first repetition.

Another favourite of mine, Kiss It Better ft Hawkins, is a song about being trapped in a doomed booty call situation, but the choice of when to run words together and when to space them out is outstanding. It's got a Lionel Richie, Prince imbued melancholy balanced perfectly with the wish-it-wasn't casual sex to maximize the romanticised resignation. It's cool to see the flagship single, Stargazing ft Rei, reworked in Te Reo at the end of the album. Google translates arorangi te tiro as Astronomical View, which sounds insanely epic to me, like a galaxy sized dose of dance music. Rei has arranged the syllables artfully and delivered them beautifully to bring a whole new hue to the song.

The Stargazing album is a joyful journey of dancey styles and gooey eccentricity. Sweet Mix Kids seem to be constantly playing amazing parties all over the globe, so don't miss your next chance to catch them live back home.

Rating: ( 4 / 5 )
 

About Sweet Mix Kids

Auckland, based DJ/Production duo Sweet Mix Kids have played the worlds coolest parties and clubs - Coachella, Wanderlust and Rhythm & Vines music festivals & toured supporting Ed Sheeran, Rae Sremmurd, Flume, Empire Of The Sun, Kimbra, Schoolboy Q, Ryan Hemsworth & Baauer.

Sweet Mix Kids, aka Sandon James & Chris Scott's musical knowledge arises from decades in home and radio studios, crossing all genres with big production and first class collaborations. With over 500 shows performed in 2015, the Sweet Mix Kids DJ sets incorporate electronic drums & samplers, live instruments and striking dancers - mixing every genre in flamboyant live performances.

In 2015 Sweet Mix Kids released 2 singles with Pikachunes and Helen Corry - their newest single Wired ft. Iva Lamkum is out now featuring a video shot while on tour in New York. Their new single With You featuring Vince Harder drops August 26th, 2016, ahead of 2 more singles and a debut album The Party & The Pretence to finish 2016.

Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Sweet Mix Kids

Releases

Radio with Pictures
Year: 2021
Type: Album

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