POWER

Berlin based duo Evvol release their second album The Power on their own imprint, Mad Dog & Love. A meditation on love, the intimate and personal offering is a product of turning their thoughts inward after time spent considering the state of the world and politics over the last year. It's about all relationships, including but not limited to our own, they explain, and it details the intimate powers that bind us together. Looking at the fragility of human existence and the importance of emotional release, The Power begins with beautiful and slow-building ballad Help Myself, and is followed by the more playful It's OK. Sonically we wanted to switch things up. Previously we were focused on an analog studio sound, and for this album we flipped it completely. Choosing to record the vocals in their Kreuzberg home-studio and investing in a top microphone and pre-amp meant they could experiment much more. From the lusty first encounters of Speedboat to the beautiful banalities of long- term partnership in Old Love, the intimacy and personal subject matter were best captured in a domestic environment. It allowed us to really let down our barriers. Tracks like Call & Response were recorded in one emotional take, and we honored the rawness of that performance in the production process. As always, percussion, groove and rhythmic tendencies are exploited in a number of different moods throughout, whether it be the '90s inspired War, or the pop- house sounds of The Power. The band's signature warm analog sound is maintained throughout, the lighter shades offset by equally present winter melancholy of tracks such as Video Tape and The Well. It was really important to us to create a special and beautiful body of work, they say, and in today's climate of Spotify and playlists it can be easy to follow trends and forget about artistry. With hard-craft and ambition aside, The Power is essentially an introspective mantra about love and intimacy, and at a time of universal unrest, it feels refreshing and vital. ?A1. Help Myself?A2. It's OK?A3. Speedboat?A4. Rope Walk?A5. Old Love?A6. Call Me Back?A7. 1994?A8. All I Need?B1. W. A. R.?B2. The Power?B3. M 29?B4. Video Tape?B5. Call And Response?B6. The Well?B7. Swallow