Bon Accord’s Michael Wright takes a big leap forward with Swing Delux, a more atmospheric project than the booming electro-pop of Bon Accord. The London-based Wright has built a following the past year with computer-crafted electronica under the Bon Accord name, often featuring soaring synth compositions and thunderous drum loops. His new project Swing Delux has emphasis on sampling beyond the percussive aspects; it’s a noticeable difference from the more claustrophobic work of Bon Accord. His previous fascination with dance and synth-pop is minimzed; the percussive aspect of Swing Delux is still apparent, as are the choice of synths, but the actual songs benefit from spaciousness as opposed to pulsating energy. That’s not to say his work under the Swing Delux moniker doesn’t have any energy, though. Far from it.
Wright’s first release under the Swing Delux moniker, the Triple Water EP, is available at Bandcamp at a name-your-own-price rate. The increased beauty of his songwriting is immediately apparent with the self-titled opener, which adds glistening key and synth-laden accompaniments over chirpy vocal samples repeating the word”air.” “Mercury” continues the almost sci-fi feel of Swing Delux, though not without the toppling vocal samples that vary dramatically in pitch; this one is particularly reminiscent of dubstep-dance hybrids. “Nepal Crush” is the track on Triple Water most like Bon Accord, especially with whirring synths and slamming percussion taking over by its mid-point. Still, Wright makes fascinating use of vocal samples by stretching out their frequencies, giving the track a feel that goes farther beyond typical electro-pop and dubstep hybrids. The lavish synth pad toward the conclusion, which would sound appropriate over images of a lush safari, and bell twinkles end the album on a high note.
