Album Review: Desperate Late Night Energy

Creatively assembling dance-oriented pop music is Alistair Deverick from West Auckland, otherwise known as Boycrush. Producer, drummer and songwriter, Alistair is a multi-talented musician and imaginative visionary, incorporating choreographed dance visuals with electronica. The result is a unique and stunning debut album – Desperate Late Night Energy.
 

The entire album of a full 11 tracks is an artistic sequence of sound. The concept of the album was derived in an ancient basement and tells stories about the “yearning, confused no-man’s land at the end of a long night; looking for someone to take home, consuming more than one might need, clinging to dying remnants.” Each track was originally called by dance terms as place holders, only three stuck but it feels as if the album and visual aspect is based around these dance terms. Demi-pointes, Frappè and Primitive Squat. This album was mixed by Bevan Smith of Introverted Dancefloor. 

Each song on the album is a guest spot of featured singers; Yumi Zouma, Chelsea Jade, Benny’s Videos, Maderia, Jessie Cassin and Tom Young. This has created a tapestry of skilled vocalists and enthralling modern dance music.

Yumi Zouma is the first featured artist on track one 100%. This is the only track to feature the soft dreamy sound of this band, and it was an excellent opening number for what was to be an extraordinary album of creative modern dance music and interesting lyrics

The artist Maderia which features on track four Face Melt and track nine Frappèis. Frappèis also features Kim Pflaum, former lead singer of Yumi Zouma - she’s another vocalist with an ethereal quality and velvet tones.

Jessie Cassin, Chelsea Jade and Benny’s Videos feature on the remaining tracks, lending a dream pop quality to the album.

The stand out track for me was Demi-Pointes (feat. Jessie Cassin). Interesting lyrics and jaunty electronic sound create the back drop for the opera trained turned neo-soul musician. Electronica dance suited Jessie’s range perfectly and brought the curious lyrics to life “We were so flexible. In natural mineral pools. You ate your sushi roll. And I looked down on you”

Dancers and choreography from the New Zealand Dance Company feature in three of the videos accompanying songs from this album, which fits into the modern dance spirit of Desperate Late Night Energy and is very open to interpretation. 

Boycrush has created an enthralling album with a distinctive hypnotic electronic beat and combined it with some NZs best alternative electro-pop artists. It is surprisingly alluring and well worth a listen.

????? (5 stars)

_{Review written by Corinne Rutherford}