Hyplar are a Greek-based pair of brothers and on 'Artificially Flavoured' they have provided what could quite feasibly have been the follow-up to 808 State's last album 1996's 'Don Solaris'. It shares that record's warmth and embraces an eclectic mix of styles from Latin to trip hop to Serge Gainsbourg. It succeeds in making instrumental pieces appear to have more depth than the majority of easy listening experiences. Standouts are 'Sensualité' (where 60's French film soundtracks merge with more modernist trip hop), the blissed-out 'One (Mediterranean Flavour)' and the gorgeous, languid Spanish guitar on 'The World Needs Beauty'. This is an excellent accompaniment for summer evenings that is not quite as inhuman as the album title suggests.
Hyplar are a Greek-based pair of brothers and on 'Artificially Flavoured' they have provided what could quite feasibly have been the follow-up to 808 State's last album 1996's 'Don Solaris'. It shares that record's warmth and embraces an eclectic mix of styles from Latin to trip hop to Serge Gainsbourg. It succeeds in making instrumental pieces appear to have more depth than the majority of easy listening experiences. Standouts are 'Sensualité' (where 60's French film soundtracks merge with more modernist trip hop), the blissed-out 'One (Mediterranean Flavour)' and the gorgeous, languid Spanish guitar on 'The World Needs Beauty'. This is an excellent accompaniment for summer evenings that is not quite as inhuman as the album title suggests.
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