South African duo Dominic Peters and David Poole, who together comprise the production group GoldFish, have released their fifth studio album titled Late Night People. GoldFish are known for their distinctive style which combines dance music with elements of jazz and African. Late Night People does not disappoint with its varied collection of tracks, with some leaning jazz and others leaning in a dance, indie, or pop direction — it truly has something for every type of music lover.

Poole and Peters talked with us about Late Night People and how the album reflects where they are as an act today. Given this is their fifth studio LP, they are no newcomers to the scene, and strive to keep their releases meaningful in a cluttered dance music ecosystem.

Late Night People has that camaraderie and heartfelt optimism that speaks to a lot of people within the dance music world who are looking for that same something that we’re looking for in music. It’s a something beyond the disposable-ness that has crept into dance music lately with so many tracks being released on a daily basis. But I do think we managed to capture it on this album. There’s music here for everyone, and we got to scratch all our creative itches whilst keeping the GoldFish sound through out.

Not every track off of the album is new to listeners. Fans have already heard “Rising Sun,” “If I Could Find,” and “Deep of the Night” which have amassed over 3 million streams on Spotify alone. The duo talked about how they are influenced by listening to multiple styles and genres of music, which in turn reflected upon their sound for the album.

The GoldFish DNA is really a bit of everything..I guess the simplest way to describe our sound is uplifting, energising and warm. It’s accessible whilst still having depth and it’s that contrast between electronic and analogue. We spend a lot of time distilling the message in our music into it’s most powerful form without dumbing it down. We want to make something you can listen to it in your daily life while you cook dinner or drive in traffic. Or you can turn it up and dance to it. That is the balance we try to strike – dance and electronic music that you’ll be able to put on now, or in 10 years and have the same feeling. Not a track that has a six week shelf life.

Each track has this distinctive style, warranting a look into a majority of the 13-piece album from start to finish.

The work’s title track is based upon instrumentals with an electronic flair and funky vocals. Piano and a pumping drumline keep the tempo up. As the song progresses saxophone blares through the chorus giving the song a jazzy twist. This track could have been a 60s jazz hit and listeners would know no better. A saxophone solo closes out the track masterfully.

“Talk to Me” opens with a similar focus on piano and old timey vocals. Instead of staying jazzy, “Talk to Me” diverts to a house drop with instrumental elements lacing its way in and out of the the chorus.

“No One has to Know” is the third track on the album, and smooth soulful vocals are the focal point of this track. The catchy tune immediately grasps the listener’s attention, and this is a track that will be stuck in the head for weeks to come after hearing it.

“If I Could Find” will find a home on the radio, whether it be a jazz, pop, or electronic station. It infuses the best elements of each genre of music to create an incredible build juxtaposed by a rising drumline and heightening vocals. The upbeat record is sure to be a hit and one of the most streamed songs of the album.

Another track to note is “Hold Your Kite,” which is a collaboration with Sorana.  An upbeat, progressive-inspired drop pairs well with folky vocals. This distinctive composition has been played in sets and radio shows across the world, so if it sounds familiar, it is undoubtedly because you have heard it before.

“Just Me Now” brings the saxophone back to compliment the blaring vocals. It can only be described as happy, and this collaboration with DIMMI showcases GoldFish’s ability to blend genres masterfully again with the jazz and saxophone being the focal point of the backdrop while electronic elements propel the track forward.

“Rising Sun” was released prior to the full album release, and Gustavo Bertoni’s vocals give the track a punk edge while the flute and electronic melody make the song distinctive from the rest of the album.

“Deep of the Night” featuring Diamond Thug is a fan favorite with its summer vibes and downtempo house core. Electronic music fans are no stranger to this song

“Absolute Power” is a distinctive end to the album with strumming chords and synthesized vocals framing the track for its electronic build. Its ethnocentricj elements speak to the producers’ South African roots, and adds yet another dynamic to this versatile album.

Late Night People is the album that took the longest amount of time to make compared to others, according to Peters and Poole. They were amidst a move from Cape Town to San Diego while producing the album, and this transition heavily impacted their creative process.

In hindsight, it all worked out amazingly as we definitely went through some musical and life epiphanies during the process and some songs evolved into completely different versions. I don’t think we would have had the conviction to release tracks like ‘Late Night People’ or ‘No One Has To Know’ a year ago. We’re giving ourselves permission to let go and I think it made for some of our strongest work.

The pair’s ability to ‘let go’ has created a masterful combination of production elements, genres, and sounds to create one of the more unique electronic albums of 2017.

Tags: Album Review, Dance, electronic, goldfish, house, jazz, Late Night People

Categories: Music