In 2008, one year after its release, I came across the original After Dark compilation and at the time had little or no background information. This meant that I somehow mistook the whole thing for a lost relic of a hitherto not well documented period of European electronic music. Of course, this is not the case. After Dark was the work of Johnny Jewel, the producer and founder of the Italians Do It Better label; however, it is a testament to Jewel's ability to create and maintain a mood and feel so pervasive that I made this mistake. This is all once again front and center on the long awaited After Dark 2, which was released with little fanfare 2 weeks ago.
Almost 6 years after the release of the first After Dark, the musical landscape has shifted in favor of Jewel produced acts like Chromatics and Glass Candy. And, while their sound has not really changed in any substantial way since that time, it is significantly less foreign now than it was in 2007. How much all of this compilation sounds familiar is, again, testament to the impact the initial releases have had since 2007, the landscape has shifted in favor of Italians Do It Better. Fans of the original After Dark will not be entirely surprised by what they hear. It is a solid collection of moody electronic music, sometimes danceable, sometimes unsettling, maintaining a base stylistic consistency throughout, Johnny Jewel's production unmistakably apparent at every turn.
The question of style and persona is crucial to any discussion of this record and Jewel's output in general. There is, throughout After Dark 2, a definite nod to 70's and 80's pop music, particularly along the disco and electronic spectrum. Whether it is easy groove of Glass Candy, on tracks like "Warm in the Winter" and "Beautiful Object," or the melancholy of Chromatics on "Cherry," working under so many guises seems to enable Jewel to fully explore a range of tones and emotions. Further, it allows him to get away with being more playful, in a way that artists working under a consistent identity cannot. Of course, Jewel is working with several collaborators and each adds their distinct touch to the project, but I am having continual difficulty trying to parse out how these contributions play out and Jewel's production style is always apparent. And, I should note some of this does not work as well, the tracks by Appaloosa being the weakest.
Given the prominence of Jewel's sound today, it would have been a good opportunity to demonstrate serious growth, to move this music ahead of its imitators. Still, Jewel has never made any pretenses to his label being more than an exploration of a certain pop form and feel and on that level, it succeeds. After Dark 2 takes a variety of sonic templates to craft well made luxurious electronic pop music that somehow conjures up weird velvet landscapes (at one point I felt like a black panther might pop up, it seemed plausible). Those looking for a step forward from the first compilation will be disappointed but those who already enjoy and are familiar with Italians Do It Better will be happy to welcome the summer with more of the same.
Grade: B+
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