toro y moi

Producer/Vocalist Toro y Moi also known as chaz2sexy on his soundcloud makes what I like to call first date music. Imagine opening the door for her and turning the car on and the first sound you hear is a sonic sunset in the form of  “Anything In Return”. She will immediately think you are cooler than you really are lol. Thanks Toro! It’s all a matter of taste and one thing Mr. y Moi delivers is something tasteful no matter what your taste buds are accustomed to. Every project from this young man has shown an evolution of a guy who’s still just understanding himself. His current project “Anything in Return” begins subtly as if each musician (himself) is tuning their instruments for you on the intro “Harm in Change”. It feels like the soundtrack to a great escape to a place your not sure exactly  where, but you are sure you like it. With every movement it draws you further away from what you are accustomed to hearing. Everything from the textures to the vocal samples sets up the perfect setting. This incredible opener feels so live it even ends with a very tucked away sound of an audience talking at the end of it as if they were at a concert and were blown away by the music. “Say That” is the nonchalantly awesome 2nd song and single as well [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGmfOsdla2Y] .

This song is a whirl wind of sounds like a dance floor is taking place in forest and you have no idea how it got there, but you’re there and you never want to leave. The video makes me want a nice Rose Quartz colored cardigan and dance in a casual manner while the whole world watches. Toro uses his voice less as an instrument more of an accent of all the details  in all the intricate colors the music is giving you. Enter “So Many Details” [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0_ardwzTrA] .

I peeped the use of really quick but awesome vocal ad-libs all over the album. On “So Many Details.” he adds very felt “woo!” ad-lib to the song that feels a lil Rick Ross influenced but I feel it so much! He sings “You saved my life, into somewhere I can’t describe .. So many details”. There are so many detailed reasons why this song is tight, you must experience it for yourself. The next color he gives us is a song called “Rose Quartz” which takes exactly 2 minutes of beautiful build up before you hear any vocals. This may be my favorite song on the record. Maybe it’s the Dj inside of me that turns neon @ the thought of playing this song live. It is very evident that Toro designs and arranges music as a Dj designs a set. “Touch” sounds like you entered a smoky room filled with beautiful people, while holding a glass of something dark and pleasant. Enjoy that. Another highlight is “Cola” which has some super HARD driving drums you can’t find anywhere else coupled with what I believe are interpolated chords of Kanye’s “Blame Game” if you listen closely around :50 secs into the song. Maybe the most emotional song on the record you got to love his explanation of  love  “it’s imperfect, it’s not forever, it’s patient” . I don’t want to give away the entire album but more high lights you must add to your 1st date play list are “Day One” (for the drums alone), “Grown Up Calls” (for those late night text games you feel me?), and “How’s It Wrong”. Basically the whole album. He’s graduated way beyond “Chillwave” to just “Thee Wave”.

You know the music is great when you have no idea what the artist is saying at times but you feel the purity in every word. There is something very vague about his writing that makes it very relatable. At times it feels like we are ease dropping on a conversation he is having with a past love he can’t quite get past. With this record it feels he’s just giving you everything he has and all he asks is for “Anything in Return”.