I don’t know what it is, but I’ve noticed a huge wave of bands (usually all white) with major 90’s R&B influences popping up all over the place. From HAIM to Daft Punk, this resurgence has become the new trend in dance music, and Cherub is no exception. They’re new album, Year of the Caprese, out today, is drenched with 80’s and 90’s nostalgia. It’s hard to listen to it without picturing scrunchies and neon swim suits.
Hailing from Nashville, TN, Cherub’s two-member line up consisting of Jordan Kelley and Jason Huber gained recognition with their dance club hit, “Doses and Mimosas” and through word of mouth about their uproarious live performances which earned them a slot in major music festivals like Lollapalooza, South by Southwest and Bonnaroo. They’re electro-pop funk sound promises a party, but they’re album sounds more like something on your pre-party playlist. A gateway drug, but far from the hard stuff that will get you waking up in a Mexican hospital with no shoes.
Year of the Caprese, to me, sounds like atmosphere dance music, or chill grind wave, if that’s even a thing. But if it’s not, then at least Cherub can say they paved the way for something other than another excuse for frat guys to start going to music festivals. While the beginning beats and synth-pop influences hook you into the song, it never climaxes, the beat never drops, the full out dancing never starts. It just stays leveled throughout the entire song – really throughout the entire album.
Seeing how they got their notoriety from their live performances, I can see how songs like “Disco Shit” and “<3” could be much livelier and more beat-driven on a live stage with hundreds of people singing along. But I doubt I will ever find out since backward hat-wearing guys grinding girls in crop tops brings back horrible middle school dance memories of my South Florida youth.
Check out their outrageous video for “Doses and Mimosas” released today!
Tour Dates:
May 29 – Las Vegas, NV; Our Big Concert presented by X107.5
May 30 – San Diego, CA; X-Fest presented by San Diego 91X
May 31 – Los Angeles, CA; KROQ Weenie Roast
June 1 – San Francisco, CA; Live 105 BFD
June 7-8 – Ozark, AR; Wakarusa
June 12 – Manchester, TN; Bonnaroo
June 21 – Denver, CO – Westword Music Showcase
June 22 – Dover, DE; Firefly Music Festival
June 26-29 – Rothbury, MI; Electric Forest Festival
June 28-29 – Pilton, UK; Glastonbury
July 18 – Salacgriva, Latvia; Positivus Festival
July 19 – Bern, Switzerland; Gurtenfestival
August 1-3 – Montreal, Canada; Osheaga Festival
August 15 -17 – Somerset, WI; Summer Set Music & Camping Festival
September 6-7 – St Louis, MO; LouFest
Born in the small island of Puerto Rico, Nina currently lives in Athens, GA with her phantom corgi, Potato. She spends most of her time daydreaming about what it would be like to hang out with Taylor Swift and looking up Nutella recipes on Pinterest.You can find her work in BUST Magazine, HelloGiggles, Thought Catalogue and Portable.tv.