FELIX CARTAL IS HERE TO STAY
DJ’s latest is a marathon album, but lots of styles and killer vocals keep it moving
Vancouver DJ and EDM producer Felix Cartal brings the beats straight out of New Westminster to the world.
Since his first release Skeleton, on Dim Mak Records, he has toured the globe with related acts and released a few albums. His latest release, titled Next Season, dropped this week on Physical Presents.
There’s a good buzz around the album, owing largely to the single Get What You Give, which is certified gold in Canada and has gained considerable popularity on streaming services and radio.
Here are five things to know about Next Season:
1. Get What You Give This track is an updated cover of the New Radicals’ 1998 hit. It was something of a global one-hit wonder situation for the group. We’ve no doubt that Cartal is here to stay.
2. A woman’s touch Strong female vocals are part of Cartal’s best songs from the opening track Stop Being Yourself (ft. Gabrielle Current) to Wherever (ft. Coeur de Pirate). His knack for arranging and orchestrating for the specific voices helps to prevent repetition, which can sometimes be a problem in EDM.
3 It’s all about that bass Cartal played bass in punk rock bands back in the day and he seems to have held onto the driving pulse of that music while moving into much more melodic EDM. He’s a fairly emotions-onthe-sleeve lyricist and can drop a near slow ballad into the mix every so often, but this album is really about the club floor and its energy. Not surprising that he’s had Juno nominations.
4. Hear it live This guy is a hard-working DJ and he is all over Canada, the U.S. and even Puerto Rico this summer. Catch him at Rock the Shores in Victoria on July 13.
5. It’s a long album At 18 tracks in total, Next Season is a real marathon listen. But Cartal mixes a lot of styles to keep things moving.
He’s quite a fluid songwriter with an ear for potential singles; just give the R&B handclaps and finger snaps on Everyone But Me (ft. Daniela Andrade) a spin. You’re getting your money’s worth.
ALSO OUT THIS WEEK: CONFUSION MASTER: AWAKEN (EXILE ON MAINSTREAM RECORDS)
Obviously, this German doom quartet sounds like Sabbath. Don’t they all? But they also have serious grooves on songs such as the 12 minute-long Witch Pollution.
JON HOPKINS: SINGULARITY (DOMINO)
What are the effects of serious meditation on an electronic music producer? Trance. But with a decidedly dark core that suggests the chanting isn’t working.
MICHAEL KAESHAMMER: SOMETHING NEW (LINUS)
On his 12th recording, this acclaimed singer/keyboardist is getting fully immersed in New Orleans to lay down 11 new, swinging and gumbo-funky tunes.