Greeen Linez is a collaboration between Chris Greenberg (of British electronic pop band Hong Kong In The 60s) and UK-born but Tokyo-based for founder for the Disktopia label Matt Lyne. The duo released an eponymous EP through Diskotopia last year but next week sees the release of the full length album Things That Fade.
Unsurprisingly there is a definite Japanese influence to the Greeen Linez sound but it's perhaps subtler than you would expect, surfaced through the occasional Eastern style melodies and percussion. 'City Cell 2' slowly folds in layers of oriental sounding bells and thick, gloppy bass to create something part Asian, part European in sound.
The combination of both European and Japanese pop and R&B are gently stirred into dance and jazz influences - even a bit of kitsch muzak - to create a somewhat vertically challenged album. It is difficult to imagine doing much whilst listening to Things That Fade but one rather suspects that is entirely the point.
I seem to be being overwhelmed a little with albums of 80s inspired music perfect for soundtracking lazy days on Mediterranean beaches too but this is certainly well done. The jazzy guitar work on 'Knowledge' is an undeniable treat whilst both 'Palm Coast Freeway' and 'Hibiscus Pacific' sparkle like a dive into pure cyan blue coolness. The latter, with roomy echoing percussion and big warm disco keys is a loving tribute to the decades of music both Greenberg and Matt Lyne grew up listening to - listen to it in the player above.
Things That Fade is released through Diskotopia on 13 August, available from Amazon.co.uk on CD and MP3.
