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Album of the Week: Cooly G's 'Wait Til Night'
RnB/Hip Hop | Sunday 19th October 2014 | Osh
Cooly G's second album, 'Wait Til Night', released today on Hyperdub, is a sleek and seductive collection of late-night, lo-fi tunes. Featuring Cooly on both vocals and production, the tracks explore the artist's sexuality, her fantasies and ruminations, with a crooning voice and suggestive lyrics set against luscious electronic backdrops.
In a recent interview with The Quietus, Cooly explains her concept behind the album as being borne out of a certain sexual frustration. She is a single mother of two, and the album gave her the chance to commit her unfulfilled desires to paper:
'It was what was on my mind and I could explore my fantasies because I'm a single mum and I don't have a partner, so, yes, I do feel sexual at times. I'm not gonna phone someone to go and have sex or whatever, so I wait until night when the kids are in bed and I might, you know, dress up myself and do sexy shit and that's what I'm about. It feels like I can become myself again and that's good for me.'
The album was recorded entirely at Cooly's home studio, mostly in an intense 14-day period when her children were away at their grandmother's house. The intimacy of the recording and production setting is palpable throughout, with Cooly's yearning lyrics reminiscent of late-night diary entries and secret love letters:
Wanna know if me and you could be together – wanna have my fantasy with you... (Quick Question)
First time I saw you, you looked at me … I’m wanting you, I need to find you... (1st Time)
If you let me…show you what I got…I want you, you want me too…let’s get down (I Like)
As expected, Cooly’s tracks are impeccably produced, with the artist drawing on her myriad, eclectic influences throughout. In the title track of the album, ‘Wait Til Night’, galactic synths and shimmering cymbals punctuate Cooly’s seductive, chromatic vocals. Harder-edged tracks such as ‘So Deep’ combine deep trap beats with sparse, grime-like snares and metallic string samples. At the other end of the spectrum there is ‘1st Time’: a melodic, introspective rumination on a meeting with a mysterious stranger. Breathy vocals are paired with soft piano chords and supported by muted bass riffs.
This is Cooly's second album. Her debut, 'Playin Me', was released in 2012 and was a similarly cathartic exploration of the artist’s state of mind: then, reminisces on the collapse of a relationship. In ‘Wait Til Night’ there is not the same directional tension: instead, we experience a languid, brooding collection of bedroom fantasies.
Understated, intimate, soulful: Cooly G’s latest offering is well worth a listen.
Watch the music video for 'Wait Til Night' here:
Click here to stream the album
Image via factmag
Article by Anna Norbury
