Three years on from the release of Swiss dub-pop duo Filewile’s 2007 debut album Nassau Massage, this follow-up effort Blueskywell sees them shifting from a laptop-based duo into a live band proper, with former guest vocalist Joy Frempong and studio bassist Mago Flueck now promoted to full line-up status.
It’s a development that’s certainly sonically apparent amongst the 14 tracks gathered here, which see Filewile shifting towards a distinctly more full-sounding and extrovert incarnation. The comparison’s to Jahcoozi’s similarly eclectic electro-pop are certainly still to be found on tracks such as ‘Number One Kid’, which sees Frempong’s teasing Euro-accented vocalists riding a juddering backdrop of hiphop centred rhythms, shimmering synth pads and ghostly whistling tones, while the ska-inflected ‘Kick The Spacedrum’ sees them taking advantage of the enhanced energy possible with live band format, as a thick descending live bass collides with programmed snares, and rich Two Tone-esque brass.
Elsewhere, the gorgeous six-minute long ‘One Space Town’ easily represents one of this album’s biggest instrumental highlights, taking things out on a distinctly psyche-tinged wander through shimmering, hypnotic synth arpeggios, clicking, stripped-back electro rhythms and lazily fuzzed-up keyboard chords, before ‘Iron Lady’ sees Swiss MC RQM making a welcome reappearance, trading verses with Frempong over a chilled midtempo backing of rich dub bass and clattering live percussion that sees an underlying dancehall influence moving to the foreground. A more than worthy second album that sees Filewile continuing to explore eclectic and consistently interesting dubby electro-pop territory.
Chris Downton
