Bitter:Sweet is a sweet Trip-Hop duo. The vocals are done by Shana Halligan, and the production and composition is done by Kiran Shahani. Shahani is best known for his work with the LA based Trip-Hop group Supreme Beings of Leisure, and that influence bleeds through noticeably. It's a good thing.Bitter:Sweet's 2006 debut album, The Mating Game, was featured on Gray's Anatomy, Lipstick Jungle, and The Devil Wears Prada. Following up on that success, they released their sophomore effort in June 2008, entitled Drama.
Drama is a stylistic album that uses Trip-Hop styling, supplemented by jazz melodies. There's a 
heavy emphasis on swing jazz, light jazz, and lounge jazz. One track is actually a waltz. It lacks the melancholic overall feel of other Trip-Hop groups. It crops up on a couple tracks, but for the most part, it's very upbeat. Halligan has a very sultry voice, that is complemented by the styling of Shahani.
heavy emphasis on swing jazz, light jazz, and lounge jazz. One track is actually a waltz. It lacks the melancholic overall feel of other Trip-Hop groups. It crops up on a couple tracks, but for the most part, it's very upbeat. Halligan has a very sultry voice, that is complemented by the styling of Shahani.The mastering is tight, but with a distinctive lo-fi feel to the instruments. It evokes a smokey lounge, straight out of some noir film. The album doesn't really vary its pace up until the last song, which slows down dramatically. The track changes are unremarkable, just the standard end, blank air, start, setup. There's no cross fading.
The album is 13 tracks, and 42 minutes long. My favorite tracks were "Drama", "A Moment", and "Drink You Sober". It's a nice ambient feel, very close to Supreme Beings of Leisure, Bjork, or Portishead. I'd give it a 7/10, and if you liked any of the aforementioned artists, you'll love this album.
1 comment:
I had no idea he worked with the Supreme Beings of Leisure! Learn something new every day.
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