Ketil Jansen and Ulrik Denizou offer up a fourth EP, and third in the Relativity series, providing yet another tantalising glimpse of their creative potential.
Lemâitre have quickly made a name for themselves with their own brand of Daft Punk/Röyksopp inspired electro. Like the previous EPs, Relativity 3 blends elements of old-school disco with dream-pop and house. Unlike many dance acts, however, Lemâitre do not sacrifice soul in order to pack the dance floor.
“Continuum” opens with a dreamy pop tenor before dropping in a giant club bass pulsing with tremolo, which fades into the background letting the feel-good vocals to lead the way. There is a wistful naivety to the track that allows it to skirt the bounds of camp without descending into cheesiness.
“Fiction” kicks off with wah-guitar funk riff panning across speakers before being joined by driving synth stabs and bouncy vocals. The track is Lemâitre at their best, blending instrumentation with electro production to create an unassuming dance-floor classic.
Vocally, the EP is surprising subtle, with the band admirably resisting the urge to mechanise the voices. The decision to eschew the all-too-common vocal effects adds a warmth to the record so often absent from lesser electro records.
Relativity 3 is a soulful mix of dreamy electro-pop and European nu-disco. It blends the camp fun of K.C & The Sunshine Band with the sci-fi dance of Daft Punk.
With this EP Lemâitre continue to build on what is already a stellar reputation, leading to the obvious question: When will we see a full-length record?
