Ducks! & Maya Shenfeld – With Compliments (2020)
Ducks! and Maya Shenfeld have teamed up for the spontaneous summer jam single ‘With Compliments’. The fresh sound is the result of two disco fans and their guitarist friend getting together for a jam session. Taking a look at meaningless small talk, false compliments and the masks people wear, the single adds a touch of bitterness to the distinct soundscape.
The electronic disco sound draws on Lani Bagley and Craig Schuftan’s signature productions as Ducks!. Since their debut album in 2016, they have been gaining fans and creating soundscapes for exhibitions and art-world memoirs. The spacey guitars are courtesy of Maya Shenfeld whose sound ranges from electroacoustic compositions to ensemble pieces.
‘With Compliments’ has an infectious opening full of fun beats and shuffling tones. The beats make your head gently bounce while the electronic tones bubble against your ears. There is an easy vibe to the melody that is an interesting complement to the vocals and lyrics. There are a few layers to the melody that work together in a wonderful way. The beats and electronic tones combine to form a solid thread while seemingly doing their own thing at the same time. Halfway through the single, there is a change in the vibe and melody that adds a hint of bittersweet flavour to the single while the horns keep the good vibe.
The vocals are as melded and exciting as the melody. There is an airy feeling to the vocals like they are bubbles floating through the musical air. The harmonisations are artfully executed as they add another layer to the textured single. Their unique delivery helps to pulse the messaging of the lyrics through the soundscape.
The music video for the single is as engaging and entertaining as the song. Using pixel art, the video draws you in with different images that easily transition into each other. The shiny feeling of the melody is perfectly captured in the video. The movements of the art match the melody while being entirely too captivating. You will not be able to stop watching the video just like you are unable to stop listening to the song.
Ducks! and Maya Shenfeld have teamed up for the fun textured single ‘With Compliments’ full of shiny melodic tones and airy vocals. The fresh sound of the music combines different layers of instrumentation for an engaging melody. The vocals add to the layering while getting you into the vibe of the track. The pixel art video is a lot of fun to watch and you will get lost in it.
Find out more about Ducks! on their Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
