With vast amounts of dance/pop genre knowledge, New York independent artist SIRPAUL has been crafting fun, guilty pleasure tunes for quite a while now. Following the release of the well-received, and insanely catchy, The Horse, the king of the dance floor wasted no time returning to the studio for his seventh studio album, cleverly titled Seventh Star. Preceded by the incredibly infectious and adorable lead single, "Every Single Moment", the new effort dips its feet into the Euro-pop world with tracks inspired by romance, love and lust. Nothing wrong with mixing the three, right?
While its world premiere isn't set until November 7, along with a brand new music video, the innovative and incredibly handsome artist (I mean look how the album cover just screams "S-E-X") was kind enough to give an early listen of the diverse, 12-track album. Supported by loud, crashing, 80s-inspired production, improved vocal performances, and welcomed naughty lyrics, SIRPAUL's latest showcases his continued love for reinvention, symbolism and the dance genre. You may not be familiar with his name now, but you will be soon enough.
As the project opens with lead single "Every Single Moment", a cool, 80s throwback said to be composed by a 16-year-old fan, it's quick indication of a fast-paced, pop journey is loud and clear. The artist describes the fear of never wanting to let the love of his life go, as he sings "every single moment without you, feels like an emotional excuse" with heartfelt emotion. It has the energy of the artist's past releases, but is still something fresh.
On "Typical Blue" the artist confesses his love once again to the man of his dreams. With production reminiscent of a fun day in the sun, the track's energetic, optimistic nature becomes the main highlight. Anyone in a slump, dealing with relationship trouble, couldn't help but smile once this song plays. There are some 80s influences paired with modern beats to create a sound that has become familiar with the indie artist.
The only way to describe the tone of "Be Mine" is overly cute, precious and adorable, the type of song you would play for your first high school crush. "I think that you should be mine, you got to be crazy to be wasting my time," SIRPAUL sings while supported by a Euro-pop sounding beat that helps make the track one of the main highlights on the new album. The artist is in a happy place in his life right now and it clearly shows.
A slight dose of confusion surrounds the aura of "He's So Unusual". With lyrics depicting a lover who may swing both ways in the bedroom, the overall message is ultimately about a person following the beat of their own drum. It seems SIRPAUL is trying to say love is not dependent on sex or gender. Beautiful. Again, the vibe is not current with the formulaic structure of top 40, but that's the song's strength. The momentum keeps going.
Following a string of collaborations with producer Armand Deluxe this past summer, the pair combine forces once again for "Feelin' Free", a summer anthem one would blast with the top down. While the track was previously released, it fits in with the rest of the material found on SIRPAUL's new effort. Its message is fun, carefree and bright, the production embodies a beach theme, perfect for any warm weathered month.
Once the lovey-dovey, first date influences subside, the filthy fun really begins with "Turning Me On", a raunchy, carnal, bedroom jam. "When we come, together as one, you can't deny, the pain was worth it," the artist sings on the straight-forward, NSFW track. The song is not holding anything back, it's an-in-your-face synthpop creation and that's a quality to respect. It's a smooth transition for what is about to come next.
"Your Bedroom", featuring a rare rap verse from Baron, is a Charmed-like, erotic song of pure pleasure that slowly drifts the artist away from the pop genre into the world of dirty rock. SIRPAUL has released some head-turning, edgy tracks in the past, but this time around he does so with no metaphors, no innuendos, just real talk. The smooth beat, the R-rated lyrics and sultry vocals make for a sexy listen asking to be played over and over.
The lustful inspirations keep on coming with "Love Sick", a loud, hard-hitting highlight on the new album. The artist is known for his uptempo dance creations, and this effort will probably be the moment where the sweat really starts to drip on the dance floor. SIRPAUL is revealing all his twisted secrets and pent up dark side to his bedroom companion on the fast-paced, energetic cut. It's explicit, it gets the pulse rising, it is what pop/dance should be.
Kicking off with a pulsating, 90s-sounding beat, "Give Me More" is an ode to desire and sexual distractions, transported back to the height of the club scene. "The way you look at me is dangerous, I want to take it there, but I have to be cautious," the artist sings on the naughty pop song. In a time where female pop stars have all the fun, the track shows that men just do it better. Images of shirtless bodies, silk and full lips surround this gem.
The energy does not let up when "Side by Side" comes through the speakers. While the vocal performance does sound slightly similar to the preceding track, the production is what truly sets it apart from the rest of the album. Once again, we are transported to another decade in dance, or maybe just a different world. SIRPAUL sings of never fearing love, especially when it's done with pride, a great message for everyone to take in.
For the closing track, "The Centenary Diamond", a ballad-esque moment where the artist gets a bit serious, speaking of his death and cremation plans, a change of pace and energy occurs. While the track is certainly different than anything I've heard from the artist before, the repetitive nature and loose songwriting made enjoying the finished product hard to do. The song cuts the momentum and should not have been the one to wrap things up.
Seventh Star was said to be inspired by symbolism and witchcraft, those inspirations are clear across the album's 12 tracks. Split in half, both pieces come together to create an image of an artist and where he is at during this time in his career. While the first half deals with romance and love, creating an upbeat and inspiring message for those who are having their hearts stolen, the second half becomes a raunchy telling of one's desires in the bedroom. With only a couple of slips, the album is a completely enjoyable listen for those lovers of the pop/dance genre. SIRPAUL is always toying with new sounds and this album represents yet another successful transformation. It receives an 82%.
Tracks to Hear: "Every Single Moment", "Be Mine", "Love Sick" and "Give Me More"
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