Spencer Parker has long been a firm part of the Rekids family, and it’s an association that continues to yield great dividends. Whereas he’s probably saved much of his best output for his own much-loved Work Them label (no problem with that, of course) over the past while, this recent release—The Theme EP— encapsulates much of what I love about this guy’s sounds. Dexterous, playful and brilliantly diverse, it’s further evidence of the producer’s hesitance to embrace the obvious: whatever you say about Parker, his sounds are never boring.
“Theme” is a real case in point. It’s delightful piano lines are a real joy, while it also embraces a Hi-NRG / Italo sheen that’s part Roman Flügel and part Patrick Cowley. Dramatic but endlessly fun, it’s the sort of gem that would surely go down a treat at one of Rekids’ famed Panorama Bar sessions.
Next up is “Radio Waves (After Dark)”, with its titular vocal sample again rejoicing in the synth-led vibes. “The Work Out” is perhaps the most typical of the tracks on offer, a DJ tool that also packs a punch courtesy of its heads-down, late-night vibes. Fittingly, it’s the EP’s most emphatic moment, “The Theme”, which is given a new lease of life via Pink Concrete’s remix. The Prague producer does a fine job at turning the track on its head, turning in a melodic, melancholy interpretation that serves up a far cry from the original, but is a fitting remix nonetheless.
Spencer Parker’s The Theme is out 12th February. Listen/buy to the release here and keep up with Spencer on Bandcamp here.
