Polyphonic Exophilia – South London Sessions
Polyphonic Exophilia – South London Sessions – EP Review
Their empire continues to expand…
When we last checked in on this crew, they were introducing us to an EP from singer Marte B, called the PPXP Sessions, back in November of last year. Of course, prior to that, you can find Polyphonic Exophilia scattered throughout the history of our pages in all kinds of ways, from singles, albums & EP reviews, to appearances on the SBS Podcast, to making our top ten list back in 2021, which they eventually went on to win and now humbly reside on our Wall Of Fame as a result. Today, for the South London Sessions, they’ve enlisted the sweet & soulful vocals of singer Laura Dia, an Irish R&B artist that is currently based in London. Combining their talents together for a new set of four songs – let’s check out what they’ve come up with and see how this collaboration worked out for PPXP as they continue to build their legacy and grow their musical family.
As “Something Funky” gets things movin’ and groovin’ off the drop, you’re likely going to notice the bass-lines first…largely because I don’t think anyone out there could miss’em! True in a couple ways – the skill level is of course, as magnificent as you know it to be in PPXP’s music, but also because it is sittin’ way up there in the mix to the point where it’s by far the dominant trait of this opening track. Keep in mind, I also tend to have my own setting a little bit more balanced towards the low-end over here on my system, so take what I’m sayin’ with a grain of salt…but yeah…it still sounds pretty heavy handed on the bass and balance overall if you’re askin’ me. And I mean…you know…we get it…you see the word ‘funky’ and that implies a gigantic presence from the bass…that’s like, an unwritten rule out there somewhere I’m sure. The question becomes, is it up so far that it might take away from some of the other standout elements like the saxophone, which is an essential contribution to this song and having a stellar performance too? Or the keyboard/synths happening…they’re key to this track as well – and I’m not sure that element isn’t getting a little lost or buried within this low-end heavy mix too. The drums still come out crisp, and Dia’s vocals seem to have no problem finding their way to the surface, but make no mistake y’all, having the bass as such a dominant factor is making it challenging for the rest to be heard probably as much as it should potentially be. Song-wise, I’m cool with it…I’m fairly resistant to the word “Funky” and the hairs on my neck tend to stand up anytime that it’s used, but I don’t mind this frenetic & colorful Jazz collaboration they’ve got goin’ on here. The solos just past the second minute are probably my favorite moment in this opening tune, but it’s a good first impression on all fronts more or less…but yeah PPXP – you’ve got plenty of room with the balance of the bass and where it sits, and given that the low-end of sound tends to always establish itself, a couple notches lower on the volume would likely benefit the entire song as a whole, and bring out some of its dynamics more.
“New Moon” is a good tune…and I feel like we get to know Dia’s vocals a little more in hearing this second track from the new EP than we did in its first song. She sings with genuine style & soul, and you can hear she’s got a completely professional vibe too…lots of positives to be found in what she brings to the microphone. From technical skills to personality, Laura has got a great voice and she sings with true confidence you can hear, as rightly she should. Is it enough to make “New Moon” really stand out? I’m not quite as sure about that if I’m being honest with ya…like I was saying, it’s a good tune – but whether it’s a great one could possibly be up for debate amongst listeners out there. “New Moon” has the kind of balance required to mix a loose groove with tight instrumentation/professionalism in a way that feels brilliantly natural & unforced, but at the same time, this track also feels so even that it’s harder to claim that it has the standout element it needs to become memorable, you know what I mean? So don’t get me wrong, it gets a passing grade on all fronts…the music is great, the vocals are great…it’s all really well put together at the core of it all…it’s just tougher to assess whether the song itself is gonna stand out to those listening. Essentially its laidback vibe could be its biggest asset or biggest obstacle, and it’s really going to be up to the people in the court of public opinion that’ll determine which of those it’ll become. Love the way this track opens up from the get-go though…the very first minute does get you interested quickly & shines a bright light on what both the music & vocals will end up bringing to this song overall.
In some ways, I’m not even all that sure I feel totally different about how I’d assess a track like “Age Of Lonely” in terms of what might be THE standout element that could potentially make it memorable for the masses…I don’t know that it’s got that piece that delivers the wow-factor in that regard. Having said that, I think that we all have certain tracks that tend to resonate with us beyond what a mere hook could provide, and in most situations, on a personal level that can lead to a song with much more longevity. As in, sure, maybe we’re not talking about a single in the traditional sense of the word and how we associate that with BIG FLASHY HOOKS & all…but more-so a song that we might all find ourselves seeking out for our own individual reasons. Make sense? Kind of? “Age Of Lonely” has no discernable weak points y’all – and personally, I think the performance you’ll find from their featured guest is the best one you’ll find on this whole EP. Musically, it’s just as enticing, in my opinion…so it’s a real case of the best of both worlds here if you ask me. PPXP plays this song in a very understated kind of way, but that allows Dia to get a sliver or two more in the spotlight, and to me, listening to “Age Of Lonely” felt closer to the kind of mix that allows both the music and vocals to shine as brightly as they both should. I still might feel like “Age Of Lonely” is missing a bit of that element that’s going to put it over the top and get it stuck in people’s minds in a memorable way…but I do think that it’s still got the kind of irrepressible magic to it that’ll always make it welcome to our ears every time that we hear it. I highly suspect that the more we all listen to “Age Of Lonely,” the more we’re going to value what it brings to our playlists, and the more we’re going to appreciate how seamless their performance truly is. I always find it amazing in a situation like this where it sounds like Laura is set to steal the whole show, but then in the moments where she’s not singing, you realize just how amazing the music has been the entire time as well…that’s the kind of superbly impeccable balance you wanna find in a collaboration.
It is not entirely lost on me that the use of the word “superstitious” seems like a nod to Stevie Wonder when you hear it show up on “Something Funky” in either of its versions. Not sure if it’s entirely intentional or not, but I’d take credit for it either way…it suits this song, its spirit, and the sound. Make no mistake, “Something Funky” IS the single in this set of three original tunes, which makes it a natural choice to have it appear twice with it coming back at the end in a “Club Edit” to finish off the EP. Do I recommend ever having song appear twice on one record? Not really. But that’s probably more of a me thing than it is them…I go by the math of the situation and feel like going this direction can lead to a great song being worn out twice as fast in most cases…but if you play your cards right, more of a good thing can easily become a great thing too. I’d argue that this is probably the latter scenario this time around – and I’d probably tell ya that the “Something Funky (Club Edit)” is the superior version of the two if we had to make a direct comparison, which is tough to escape when both appear on the same record. The bass is just a bit less dominant in this second appearance of “Something Funky,” and I feel like that ends up bringing out the rest of the elements in this song just that much more for us to process – it’s a smart move, and one that enhances the vibe of the original, in my opinion. Believe me when I tell ya, that bass is still there and you can hear it 100%…I promise you that…but the “Club Edit” gives the rest a bit more room to breathe, and you end up appreciating the rest of the music that much more. I also think you get to hear the high degree of star-power Laura brings to this song in this second version as well…it’s a solid cut for the finale, and this would also be the track I’d be putting out there as the single from the EP to give the people out there the right audible enticement they need to come on in and listen to the rest. Be sure to stay connected to PPXP and Laura by visiting the official pages below!
Find out more about PPXP at:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ppxpinsta
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7dU9fQzUsugFDChgmPlIs1
Find out more about Laura Dia at:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauradiaforever
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4AyRQ5qOD0MphdwwU4VHQj
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