It's been enthralling to watch Steve Angello explore his art. From his underground monikers like Mezcal Kid to his commissioning of fashion, art, visual pieces and movies, Angello has made his career about pushing himself further artistically. It's an ongoing, whole-being project, including his experimentation with curating his Size Records with a variety of artists in grungier, rock-leaning electronica.
But it's been a while since we've heard from the famous Swede himself. He's played curator and behind the scenes producer, but now for the first time since January 2016 when he released the long-awaited album Wild Youth. The album was his first solo album, and first big project since the split of Swedish House Mafia in 2013. This release, a two-track EP entitled Genesis, follows releases on Size that have run the gammut, from friend Tom Staar to new artist CYA, and the unusual cinematic rock-electronica from Magic Sword. It culminated in a new live show from Angello at Coachella this year, where he showed off some of his new stuff.
Genesis has two sides to it. There's the low-tempo "Breaking Kind," whose sound straddles pop, rock and electronica. There's also "Rejoice," which with some powerful statement vocals from a full on sermon from preacher T.D. Jakes, feels like a long movie on its own. Building for minutes, with moments that feel like they could be silence, the track finally drops in its last minute into the gritty electro that we know of Angello.
Genesis marks the beginning of a new project for Angello, as he will release his second album Almost Human later this year via Kobalt. To come are stages two and three, to be titled Inferno and Paradiso. If there are ways to improve on the drawn-out release of Wild Youth, it's to keep the engagement with this new music alive and not draw it out over a year. We can only hope.
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