What is the definition of a “grower” record? To me its music you appreciate right away but you truly start to “get” further down the line as you absorb it a little more. As opposed to a record you play a few songs on repeat but don’t play that often after.
The Excess EP by The Hamptons is just that type of experience to me and I gotta say I’ve delved deep in the pool after getting my feet wet a few months ago. The group name and title say it all but to me it’s the concept of elitism and wealthy overindulgence that made me grasp the record as a whole. If you listen to these beats and imagine yourself riding your dad’s Mercedes (his second car) down a private road to your estates tennis court then you understand the emotion behind the music.
That’s the mood you put yourself in with the opener prelude to excess. Then the ‘Doubt’ start clouding your mind, do I deserve this am I really happy. Well “Excess” is rarely all joyful but it clearly is euphoric and it seems almost like an illusion to the super-rich. The melding synth work and dreamy drums mixed with bass with that empty soul thump really make sense when taken into the artistic concept. When you consider the author of the music is putting a personal project and cutting his teeth in music and they have accomplished a lot with a 4 track EP while you still dream of “making beats” the message hits even harder. The last track gives you a feeling of floating on an inflatable mattress post Veuve Cliquot hangover and the EP ends abruptly (like most tracks) which to me represents the snap back to privilege that Hamptonites try to escape through lavish soirées and outlandish behaviour.
The convoluted, partially dark and frankly unorthodox imagery of this review is the way I would describe this EP. Put it on when driving back from the country house or when finishing a project at 2AM and let it grow on you.
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