Did you wake up well today? Did you feel a little lighter and full of optimism? It could be because you got a good night’s sleep, but more likely it’s because the big day has finally arrived! In all its glory, camoufly‘s debut EP has arrived and it’s here to single-handed save the beginning of 2021. Joy and exultation will rise from all over the globe as his fans will open their favorite streaming platforms and find Apotheosis in all its majesty. But without further ado, let’s jump right into a track per track review.
‘Hello Darling’
It’s no surprise that camoufly has picked this ‘Hello Darling’ as the opening track. Of all five tracks of the EP, “Hello Darling” is the most suitable one for creating a bridge between the sound to which we got used to and the one we find within Apotheosis. It’s the perfect welcome for all kinds of audiences, from hardcore fans to casual listeners. It’s actually a song to listen to hand in hand with your loved one, while you lie down on a terrace and watch the lazy clouds pass in the clear spring sky. Its sweet and fairy atmospheres simply cannot fail to please and these fat subs will satisfy even the hardest-hearted basshead. I advise you not to get caught up in the excitement too soon because it takes off for real at 1:20.
‘Loving U’
Another love song? Yes, but probably not the kind you’d expect. Don’t be fooled by the cheesy vocals in the intro, they’re just the very tip of the iceberg and if you just stop there, well let me tell you that you are missing the real party. Trust me. After this apparently subdued start, this track makes a 360° and, like a chimera, it totally changes look. One moment you’re in a comfort zone, a couple of seconds later you’ve no idea what’s going on. The only piece of advice I can give you is, don’t try to make sense right away. Let yourself go. Get carried away by the current and you will see that once you have settled in, ‘Loving U’ will be a spectacular journey. Was I cryptic enough? Good, because I wouldn’t spoil you this track for anything in the world.
‘Safe’
‘Safe’ has been out for a couple of days now, but have you noticed the vocal sample at 0:45? That tiny sound is worth the price of the whole track in my opinion. It’s unexpected, it’s exciting, it’s even erotic and fits so damn well in the overall mood. I suspect that camoufly’s interest in japanese music has somehow contributed to the creation of this track because it radiates exotic vibes from every single sound. This is probably the most particular track of the EP, the one that differs more from both the more “pop” camoufly and the more electronic one. Its place, right in the middle of the EP, is just perfect. It almost seems to symbolize our arrival in the dungeons of the camoufly project, the place where his incessant experimentation takes place and where his fabulous ideas take shape. Some hear Cashmere Cat vibes in this song, other Mura Masa influences, but personally I don’t feel like comparing this masterpiece to anyone but camoufly.
‘Mindpower’
No, I’m boycotting ‘Mindpower’. It’s indeed another mesmerizing track that you absolutely need to listen to, but since I already spent quite some time on its premiere article, so I invite you to read my thoughts about it there.
‘Oh Dear’
To close the full circle, the last track brings back the kawaii vibes that have characterized camoufly since his early releases. The formula is simple, a catchy vocal line, some colorful synths and a happy, energetic drum pattern, but it’s hard to properly explain how much I love it. As soon as I heard ‘Oh Dear’ I couldn’t help but think of his remixes of Shaw Mendes or Madeon, but here we’re in the presence of something clearly superior, which perfectly concludes the masterpiece that is Apotheosis.
A proper EP isn’t complete without a worthy artwork, and in case you haven’t noticed, Apotheosis has one hell of a cover. Since it deviates enormously from the minimalist and cartoonish style used by camoufly up to this point, I reached him out to find more about where he found it and why he choose exactly this piece.
“The painting in the cover art is “The Apotheosis of Hercules” by François Lemoyne. The picture is taken by a photographer that goes by the online username of “kruwt”. It’s funny cause I stumbled upon this on Instagram or Twitter randomly, but I loved it so much at first sight that I had to do some research about it. The painting starts from a rejected project that Lemoyne finished for Versailles, but while he was doing something so big he was also suffering a lot. While I was making the tracks you hear now in the EP, I wasn’t into a pretty good mental state and music was the only escape for me. At some point, the fact that I happened to produce something I was happy with made me feel like I’ve overcome a lot of all those demons, so to me the ‘Apotheosis’ subject meant something too.”
Apotheosis is now available to stream on your favorite platform and to purchase on Bandcamp.
