Lxury - 'Tokyo'

November 4, 2020 - South Space Records

Andy “Lxury” Smith is back with his final transportive escape into the Inner Club, that all-too important space we’ve occupied often throughout this year. Relatively hot off the tails of September’s Trinity Lounge EP, Smith has swapped end-of-summer sentiments for something a little more chilly and timeless. 

Washed out chords swell in time with a slightly swung beat, setting the stage for Diva-Sachy Anasthasia Jeffery of Jadu Heart fame’s airy vocals to roll in like a frigid mist. The tension remains high, with Jeffery’s lyrics held at arm’s length; bits of words and emotions break through, but the vocals mostly provide texture and feeling for the instrumental elements. Dated, filmi-esque samples harking back to Trinity Lounge EP appear here, providing nice contrast to the sharp percussion and modern vocal treatment. Another set of sounds cuts through, and after a bit of Carmen Sandiego sleuthing from the navigational clue on the album cover, we see they come from field recordings on the subway systems of Suginami City, Tokyo, Japan. The subway recordings add a bit of nostalgic depth to the mix, cheery train signal notes blending with a chipper Rhodes piano in an almost Muzak fashion. 

Smith once again provides a moment of respite in ‘Tokyo,’ striking the balance between the communal nature of the crowded dance floor and the individualized feelings that also stem from electronic dance music. We look forward to more moments like this, as well as when those moments can be shared tangibly with others in the future. 🍍