When I first heard the new EP from Melbourne’s Chubbie Boots, I got the same gut reaction I had when hearing Royalty or Clap Rules latest material.  This EP, released on Audio Parallax, seamlessly fuses so many techniques and genres in a way that is both experimental and accessible.  With very obvious house, dub, electro-funk, and soul influences the EP is beautifully produced.  The four songs on The Cracks Are Starting To Show display a range of styles while maintaining a cohesive concept.

First we have Adlerwerke, a balmy tropical dub piece with lush texture and echo-y guitar work.  Next, the title track most closely resembles the work of Clap Rules with an electro-funk piece that sounds like a balearic Zapp & Roger.

We Don’t Want No Stinkin’ Wurli, my favorite of the release, comes third with a stunningly beautiful jazz-house track that seems to borrow some sonic tricks from LA beat makers.  When the jazz vocal samples hit me two minutes in, overlapping with a soloing keyboard,  I knew it was love.

The final track How Could I Forget brings back the twinkling guitars for rather minimal doo-wop chop-up.  With very little bass, this beat-driven lullaby fades to a repetitive crooning vocal sample.

Check out Chubbie Boots’ Soundcloud HERE and purchase The Cracks Are Starting To Show HERE

Chubbie Boots- Adlerwerke

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Chubbie Boots- The Cracks Are Starting To Show

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Chubbie Boots- We Don’t Want No Stinkin’ Wurli

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Chubbie Boots- How Could I Forget

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