ALBUM REVIEW: Phoenix Keyz – ‘When We Were Young’

The EDM scene has witnessed an incredible explosion in popularity over the last few years and has created a huge number of talented artists, leading to some of the most innovative and infectious tunes in music today. One of the latest to rise through the ranks has been the UK born producer Phoenix Keyz whose impressive track record boasts of over one million SoundCloud plays and over a quarter of a million views on his YouTube channel. Having worked with both DefJam and Universal Records, Phoenix’s journey has led to the release of his debut album, the result of over two years in the studio.

It is instantly clear upon first listen that Phoenix Keyz has put a hell of a lot of work into his 14 track long album. Attempting to be the jack of all EDM trades, tracks range from big room crowd pleasers, angry moombahton stompers, and laidback tropical soundscapes and it makes for a thoroughly ambitious collection of tunes. There is also an impressive collection of collaborations on numerous tracks, with the producer clearly keen on promoting vocal talent within the industry. Though the lyrics can be simplistic, the heart and soul that was put in is clear and shines through on many tunes.

The album finds its feet within the slower-moving tracks, immersing the listener in a Kygo-esque island paradise with some great vocal work from the likes of Thom Van Doorn and Ariette Florence. Standout tracks such as ‘Do You Remember’ and ‘We Are Here Tonight’ display these qualities to much success and have led to many re-listens, each time unearthing a new layer of lush sound. However, this is not to say the album’s highlights are confined to just the chilled side.

Possibly the pick of the bunch is ‘Here To Move’, a raunchy house track that combines smooth vocal chops with filthy sounds for a very catchy banger. Another highlight is the remix of Emily Marques’ ‘Old School Love’, which owes much of its lasting appeal to the expertly reworked lyrics. A former Single of the Week here on Cultured Vultures, the track is given an energetic beat that will please many fans of the genre.

Sadly, moombahton experiments such as ‘Wild The Fvck Out’ and ‘Veni Vidi Vici’ are disappointingly tame and feel like very familiar territory. Same goes for progressive projects such as ‘Meteorites’ which again feel a little too rigid and confined to the stale, much covered trappings of the genre. There is little distinction between these tracks which is a shame when compared to the rest of the album.

When We Were Young is certainly an entertaining ride and has its fair share of ups and downs. The hard work of Phoenix Keyz is clear and he shines through when basing himself in the chilled and house genres, leading me to conclude that more focus in those areas would continue to propel the producer towards success. The album merits multiple listens and proves that Phoenix is definitely one to watch.