Happy Wednesday everybody! I’ve been on a bit of a review roll lately so why stop now? I honestly have no particular taste for anything music-wise. I just want something fun and upbeat. Thankfully, my buddy at Rum Bar Records has been keeping the submissions coming and the albums he sends have yet to let me down so let’s dig into this quick EP from The Shang Hi Los and see what it brings with it!
As soon as I hit play, “Sway Little Player” brought a retro vibe that took over my house and brought a smile to my face. Although the retro feeling is strong, there’s something modern feeling about this track. The back and forth between two vocalists brought super fun energy to this track. Well, that and the slamming drums. This song seems short and sweet and it’s the type of track that makes you want to get up and dance so that’s exactly what I did for the rest of this track.
” Funeral Home Mint” still has a very old-school vibe and an infectious beat to it but the vocals take a more edged approach for this track. At under three minutes long, this is the shortest track on this five-song release but it absolutely packs a perfect punch in it. Although it’s still a dancey little number, “Funeral Home Mint” seems to have a bit more of a tinge of emotion in the vocals which are stellar. I had to listen to this track a couple of times before finally being able to move onto “Stay” which shifted the mood yet again. “Stay” was an instant favorite for me. Although all of the tracks so far have been super fun and playful, the way the vocals are laid (they almost sound as if they are being sung through an old telephone before clearing up about a minute in) out on this track makes it feel even more playful. It’s a sweet and innocent track that instantly had me sold. Again, like “Funeral Home Mint”, there’s an undeniable sense of emotion in both the male and female vocals that is just perfect.
“Skipping Records” brings with it a sense of power and brings that retro feeling laid out in “Sway Little Player” to the spotlight. As soon as this track really came in, I pictured myself at a venue back in the day with my poodle skirt on and doing the twist or something other dance that would be ridiculously embarrassing to do these days. I was a bit surprised when the chorus hit because it brought a much more modern feel to it compared to the rest of this song and even the album, but I loved it. It’s this mash-up of retro and modern that The Shang Hi Los does so well and it’s what makes them stand out to me.
Ending this quick five-song album is The Shang Hi Los’ cover of “Saturday In The Park” by Chicago. I have to be honest, I’ve never really been a huge fan of this track so I’m honestly not super familiar with the original and can’t really compare the two. I’m not going to start claiming this jam as my favorite but The Shang Hi Los absolutely makes it sound brilliant.
This release is super quick but super fun. I’m a huge fan of themed parties and I’m already planning a retro-styled sock hop for when the virus is more under control. This will absolutely be the soundtrack to that party when it happens.
My Favorite Track(s): “Stay”
For Fans Of: Old-School Sounds; Dancey Beats; Smiling
Dance-ability: 9 out of 10
What My Cats Thought Of It: Both cats hid upstairs for fear of becoming my dancing partner
How Badly I Want To See This Performed Live: 7 out of 10
My Overall Rating: 6.8 out of 10
Check Out The Shang Hi Los Here:
Check out ‘Kick it Like A Wicked Bad Habit’ HERE!
Check Out Some More Releases From Rum Bar Records HERE!
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