Toronto - Blame the Avalanches. Blame Norman Cook. Blame The Go! Team. Blame whoever, but we have seen an onslaught of dj/songwriters in the past few years that suddenly decide that they need to release albums. Usually it is a light weight electro party affair that features obscure samples, retro synths and an addictive beat. Meet Sonny J. The Liverpool man has released an album that is the child of the Avalanches mating with Saturday morning cartoons. The album is called Disastro and it is off $tatside Records. I discovered this dude after catching the video off of Josh’s site - Indie Kid vs Dance Kid.

What can you say about Disastro? It sticks to a pretty successful formula and I have no doubt that one or more of these songs will be featured at a mobile/ipod commercial near you soon enough. With Disastro, it appears like Sonny J took from all the music genres, put it in his magic bullet, shook it up and poured it out. It is surprising that the result isn’t a mess. The album actually consists of a mish mash of quality tunes. “Handsfree” sounds like a seventies blaxploitation theme song, “Cabaret Short Circuit” melds a spanish tinged sound with a beat and lyrics from what could be a 60s telemundo show. Latest single “Can’t Stop Moving” is a Go! Team song (never a bad thing).

All in all, another solid entry into this party-sample happy-light weight pop genre.

3/5

 

 Sonny J - Handsfree (If you hold my hands): Play Now