STEVEN JULIEN Vinilo y CD

Review: .Crown is the long-awaited reunion of Kyle Hall and Steven Julien (Funkineven), two soulful visionaries who bridge the gap between Detroit and London. The LP showcases their unique blend of raw and organic beats, cosmic synths, and expressive vocals. From the hypnotic opener 'Page 1' to the understated late night deepness of 'Page 4' and the evocative blunted beats of closer 'Page 5' (Reggie B SciFonk Mix), Crown is a journey through the diverse and dynamic realms of electronic music. Fans of Hall's previous work and Julien's Funkinevil project will not be disappointed by this masterful collaboration that celebrates the essence of soul.

Review: Kyle Hall and Steven Julien have been working together on and off for a whole decade now as Funkinevil. To mark the occasion they have pulled together their first two releases - namely 2012's 'Night / Dusk' and 2013's 'Ignorant' - on one new double album that very much sums up their raw house sound. The Detroit-London duo draw on plenty of their hometown's signature aesthetics, from well swung drums to soulful synths, and the results are still fresh sounding and captivatingly deep. Importantly, all these years later, there is still real emotional punch in these tunes as well as damn good grooves. Essential stuff from this vital pair.