Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Gunslinger: Early Volumes 1

255

Gunslinger: Early Volumes 1

By

Sign in to view read count
Gunslinger: Early Volumes 1
DJ Chris Anthem, aka Gunslinger, offers a medley of dance and party tracks founded on a pulsating, groove-oriented modus operandi. With feisty synth lines, catchy riffs and echo-laden vocals, the program casts an appeasing portraiture of retro house beats with a modern periphery. Gunslinger incorporates beefy electro-bass parts into the grand schema, which is a component that works agreeably with the snappy beats.

At times, Gunslinger's vocals project mystical attributes, especially during the hazy dream-type ambient-electronica jaunts, largely evidenced within various interludes or movements. He cagily morphs the oscillating and melodious segments into the netherworld, when not steering the music into techno-psychedelic forays, spiced with an up-tempo impetus. And on "Variation," the DJ bangs out a pop-rock dance vibe atop a pliant framework and hearty rock rhythms.

Unlike other productions of this ilk, the artist refrains from sugarcoating many of his arrangements with layer-upon-layer of electronic effects and nonsensical interludes, uncannily bridging a new wave rock mindset with traditional electronic dance music paradigms. More important, Gunslinger's compositions are designed with sustainable qualities, based on memorable hooks and a buoyant approach to the material. With a musicality underscored by theatrical implications, Early Volumes 1 is an enjoyable outing that should appeal to both the hardcore house music advocates and the modern pop-rock crowd.

Track Listing

Run For Your Life; Who Have You Been; Words; Unbreakable; Variations; Saving Your Heart; Gravity; Nothing's Good Enough.

Personnel

Gunslinger: DJ, mixes.

Album information

Title: Early Volumes 1 | Year Released: 2011 | Record Label: Blitz Music

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

What Was Happening
Bobby Wellins Quartet
Laugh Ash
Ches Smith
A New Beat
Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.