A relative newcomer to the music scene, Emilie Reid has been releasing some wonderful tracks. One of them is ‘Prince of the Groove’ which throws you back to the golden era of pop-rock with stabbing synths, hooks that are made for the dancefloor and a cinematic tension that builds through your shoulders. This is all paired with her vocal performance that offers a smoky and textured tone balanced with soulful edges and raspy rock that is rather unique to Reid.
Chasing the shadow grooves of classic 80s pop and painting it with a distinct rock touch, the song is both nostalgic and modern. As her latest release, this track continues the evolution of her sound that started with her debut album Leopard ~ Sukha.
The retro tones of the synths hit from the first note and swirl with a light touch of 80s pop, like the lights glinting off a mirror ball. It is a heady sound that puts you into a ball of colours that transports you to a dancefloor. The horns, as they burst out of the background, grab your shoulders and make you want to dance. The groovy vibes of the music are infectious, hooking you to the sound of the single.
As Reid’s vocals enter the fray, she takes your hand and dances around the melody with you. There is a soulful edge to her vocals as they flow out over the higher levels of the music, but this is brought down to earth with the light rasp on the verses. At times, there is a bounce to her performance that adds a skip to your step and beckons you to sing along. Every word is infused with an energy that shimmers into your veins and adds a bolt of electricity to your soul.
Overall, the single has a fantastic balance between nostalgia and modernity. At times, it can feel that the retro tones are taking over, from the groovy horns to the discoesque spin of colours. As this builds to a crescendo, the contemporary edges peak through and draw you back into the modern world. It is a great way to escape from the world today, but it makes you realise that you don’t need to completely transplant yourself into the past to do it.
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