While I wait for the vinyl edition of Robert Parker’s latest LP, Crystal City, which isn’t a concept album about the joys of living in the interlocked high-rises of the Arlington County neighborhood, I thought I’d sound off on one of the album’s songs that stands out most to me.
The Swedish Parker is linked to the Valerie Collective, performing legendary sets with members College, Maethelvin, and Forgotten Illusions, so it’s only natural that at some point Maethelvin would show up on a Parker record. On Crystal City, we get the delightful gift of the”Love Theme” collaboration.
The cut is quintessentially the work of both Maethelvin and Parker. The former’s intricate, often beat-oriented retrosynth and the latter’s catchy, hook-laden synth fare blast out of the mix in a complementary fashion.
The result is a damn good time. Every now and then, it can be very comforting to sit back and take in clean and colorful arps, splashy synths, funky bass noodlings, and tight drum beats. Even better when it’s from supremely talented and supremely professional artists such as Maethelvin and Parker.
Buy the whole thing on Bandcamp. Don’t just listen to it. Buy it (but also listen to it — it’s a retro record everyone can love).
