On the heels of the ‘Fleur’ EP and this summer’s ‘Love Pressure’ remix project, Sepalcure has poised to release their eponymous debut full length through Hotflush.
The duo of Travis Stewart (Machinedrum) and Praveen Sharma (Braille), utilize the broader canvas of the album format to develop their collaborative process and incorporate the diverse influences present in their solo work to their sonic mixture. Machinedrum’s much-heralded ‘Rooms’ LP and Sharma’s recent EPs on Hotflush and Rush Hour reflect the impact of the frenetic, paranoid rhythms of the modern Chicago underground on the wider electronic world and the return to vogue of another musical style that originated from that city: House. But both artists add a crucial sense of emotional sensibility and melodic sensuality that defines the Sepalcure sound.
‘Yuh Nuh See’ takes the bite out of juke’s trademark staccato bass and looping vocals, washing the tension away with lush melodies and dubbed out atmospherics, while ‘Eternally Yrs’ is a burbling update of the rave-house sound, with processed vocals rubbing up against woodblock beats and a relentlessly bouncing bassline. ‘The One’ and first single ‘Pencil Pimp’ are destined to light up dancefloors worldwide with their variations on classic house, while tracks like ‘See Me Feel Me’ and ‘Outside’ are breezy and sophisticated. The album is a bold statement from two artists at the top of their game.
Since the release of the ‘Fleur’ EP, Stewart and Sharma have taken the Sepalcure live act to SXSW and the Winter Music Conference, the Unsound Festival in New York, and Britain’s legendary Big Chill festival, as well as a host of other dates in Europe and America. The duo is slated for an appearance at Unsound 2011 in Poland, and will be debuting the Sepalcure Live A/V set at the upcoming Mutek: Mexico City, expanding upon the themes of their album art for the first time in a live setting.