Art Department - The Drawing Board

Art Department


The Drawing Board

CROSSTOWN REBELS



 

Art Department is Toronto duo Johnny White and Kenny Glasgow, both highly regarded, forward thinking, talented producers in the techno and house scenes. Johnny and Kenny have known each other for quite some time but this album is their first. Damian Lazarus can be thanked for the union, signing them to his Crosstown Rebels label on which they have now released The Drawing Board. This is the debut album from Art Department but the first single from the album Without You, released in 2010, is already a favourite amongst world renowned DJs such as Magda, Jamie Jones and Seth Troxler. 

Considering this is a debut long player, Art Department have successfully achieved  a coherent collection of work that neatly collects onto the long player format. Beginning with the epic ten minute electro crooner Much Too Much, the album courses consistently through minimal and often dark house and electro; bringing their own fresh concoctions to the table based on prescribed generic house and electro brands. Overall, The Drawing Board lives up to all the hype it's been given since word of the upcoming release was whispered.

The Drawing Board carefully balances a minimal pop sensibility alongside darker and  often forlorn concerns. Tracks such as Vampire Nightclub and Living the Life with Seth Troxler and Roberts Cry conjure up the grime of Glasgow and the cold club sweat of the UK's north. Other tunes like We call love featuring Soul Clap and Osunlade as well as the funky drummer breaks of In the Mood portray a much sexier dance feel, giving emotional balance to the release. Worthy of note is the beat production on this release which is  both finely tuned and subtle. Ranging from timbres not dissimilar to Casio keyboards to 80's backbeat kicks and verby snares as well as disco influenced house breaks.

Also deserving of credit are the vocal performances of both Art Department and guests, as well as their in vogue re-sampling and pitching. Refinement can also be found in the chordal synthesizer accompaniments and when all the instrumentation and production is pulled together it sets this album in a good vantage point, ready to be deployed to both the underground and the mainstream dance music audiences.   

The Drawing Board delivers much what Art Department's live sets accomplish, seeing audiences swaying and bopping to the 4 x 4 kicks, walking arpeggiator baselines and diva vocals. Yet this release also affords use more sombre homebound listening experiences. 



Kristen Marconi
 

 
Tracklist: Art Department - The Drawing Board
01. Much Too Much

02. Tell Me Why (Part I)
03. Living The Life feat. Seth Troxler

04. What Does It Sound Like?

05. Without You

06. We Call Love feat. Soul Clap & Osunlade

07. Vampire Nightclub (Album Version) feat. Seth Troxler
08. In The Mood

09. Roberts Cry

10. Tell Me Why (Part II)

11. I C U