Producer, singer-songwriter, and instrumentalist SG Lewis’s debut album times has reimagined disco-pop, rejuvenating the genre. times is a vibrant cohesive collection, showing his penchant for disco-tinged music. Each song is a sensual flurry of sound, culminating into a club-capsule that makes me miss the strobe lights and dance floor of my local nightclub. Released a year into pandemic-induced lockdowns, this album is an ode to the nightlife and club culture that the world has been pining for.
On times, SG Lewis dominates the genre that he has pioneered for himself. The record combines and champions disco, synth-pop, and electronic house, while Lewis simultaneously adds his own cosmopolitan twist. This distinct sound is reminiscent of his previous EPs, such as Dusk and Dawn, bothof which carry the same ethereal charisma. Using entrancing baselines and euphoric beat drops, each song transcends and transports listeners to those familiar, blurry nightclub scenes.
From Nile Rodgers to Robyn, times is seasoned with a variety of features that paired off with Lewis’ w vocals.This cast enables every track to shine individually. Each song is a fresh take on one point of view, one way of life, and one experience. This album has a clear and cohesive aesthetic, but instead of falling into repetition and monotony, SG Lewis uses this album to explore this style in a multitude of ways. One song flows into another, but each one is immaculate in its own right.
SG Lewis translates his style into an attack on the senses. On each listen a new beat, instrument, or sound bite can be picked up on. As this album recalls the distant memory of the deafening speakers, disco balls, and crowded club smoking areas, it is only fitting that times’ accompanying visual effects pack the same punch. The album was released via a virtual concert, complete with its own production and aesthetic. Each song was paired with a different light show, creating a visual representation of the sensations that SG Lewis’ songs provide. times is a synthesis of sounds and aesthetics, pairing to create a suave and perfectly-blended experience.
times is a cultivated celebration of the club life that is being yearned after by millions. Each track delivers the same artistic concept in a new and inventive way. Highlights include the hazy masterpiece that is ‘Chemicals’, and dance floor love song ‘One More’, which Lewis recently performed on The Late Late Show with James Corden. This album has a clear, transcendental style that fully displays Lewis’ musical talent and meticulous artistry. This album is a tour-de-force, an innovation of genre, and an immersive experience. SG Lewis pioneers and conquers a new genre from a mixed bag of electro, house, pop, disco, and synth, weaving them together to create an addictive and contemporary experience. times is both trendy and transcendent, and encapsulates a new era of disco-pop for Lewis.
