Going Through Phases

It's not hard to play "spot the influence" immediately from pressing play on Pellarin & Lenler's collaborative debut for Statler & Waldorf. Grains and dense passages that echo Vladislav Delay's name under his own moniker, as well as Jan Jelinek's early productions for the ~scape imprint, obviously reflect an influence on the duo, as do the productions of Mark Ernestus and Moritz Von Oswald. But what makes Going Through Phases such an interesting listen is that they're not just copying their influences; rather, they add something special to the blend: a slight hint of contemporary R&B and hip-hop runs through their arrangements and production capabilities, and some of these tracks wouldn't be too far off from a Dilla production, if the samples were a bit more recognizable. It's a solid debut and anyone who is a fan of the aforementioned artists would be well served in checking this album out.