Release Title: Shine
Format: Album
Release Date: 01.10.2007
Label: Etage Noir Rec.
Listen


Shine is much more than just the next album from Parov Stelar, it is the next step in the work of Austria’s brightest musical talent and export. Lush, expansive, friendly and open to good ears and joyful minds, the music of Parov has been nothing short of a brilliant in his quick but justified rise to the top. His third album promises more of the same, but also more of new directions and influences for today’s musical movements. Shine is rich in credibility and trustworthiness, cool and hip music for the ears of all ages. Always moving forward, satisfaction guaranteed.

Like life, music must move on and progress. But like life, we must remember to reminisce and recall the past at times. It is the sole reason why we enjoy experiencing new and going back to old music, it is an extension of life. Shine the third artist album by Parov Stelar gratifies life’s movements and moods perfectly, the new the old. What we already know about Parov Stelar and what we don’t know.
This is obvious to Marcus Füreder aka Parov Stelar too. Sampling ‘Charleston’ and ‘Jazz’, conjuring up new ‘Breakbeat’ and ‘Pop’ into a creation of interesting music is no easy task, but Parov Stelar seems to have a sensibility about what it should sound like. Thankfully his worldwide fans agree as the Cinderella story of a new unheard artist from Austria’s third largest city ‘Linz’ shows no sign of slowing down. In fact, things can only snow roll more as word gets around of the brilliant new music of Parov Stelar. Fans will enjoy traditional Parov Stelar tracks that offer sexiness and sophistication, these same fans will be delighted that this artist is not standing still and resting on his laurels and just repeating the same sound as he gets a little rougher and dirtier in places. This is not elevator music, this is not lounge, this is simply good music with influences and cognitive factors far and wide. Success in something in this case only encourages Parov Stelar to move forward and not to stand still.

So, who will listen to this CD? Well, we think the world just got a lot smaller for Parov Stelar? He has obviously opened up a lot of new doors with this new work. The jazz is still there, the soul is still there, but you will find new flavours and ingredients in the sound that will be universally appreciated and approved we think.
The guest artists come through with flying colours too. Singers like Kristina Lindberg (Laine), Gabriella Hänninen, Lilja Bloom and Luke (Music for dreams) add much property to the form. The third album brings out not just the best of Parov Stelar to date, but also the guest artists he has graciously asked to appear on Shine. He gets the very best out of them, and they get the very best out of him it seems. Even more interesting is that Parov Stelar actually sings on two tracks ‘Autumn beasts’ and ‘Lost in Amsterdam’.

Shine is the brilliant third album by an artist that simply enjoys to make people happy with his music. No aloofness or emotional distance between the artist and fan. In fact, the key to the success of Parov Stelar has always been this true feeling of being intimate and of belonging together with the music fan and artist. Shine is like a good new friend.

Alan Brown (Soul Seduction)