- Classic house and disco that plays a little too safe.
- Amy Douglas is one of the key voices of nostalgic New York house, though her range stretches far beyond that sound. The singer-songwriter has contributed to tracks from dozens of the city's producers, and has appeared with Juan MacLean in an electro house and nu-disco project called Peach Melba. You can also hear her love for rock, funk and jazz in other projects and collaborations, whether in the dance-punk of the Boston-based band SPF 5000 or the throwback sound of Richard Barratt's Happiness album, released under his Crooked Man alias in 2016.
Never Saw It Coming, the singer's solo debut, delivers more classic sounds. On the title track, written in collaboration with 33Hz's Tim Wagner, Douglas applies her impressive vocal range to a disco groove. It follows in the tradition of '70s and '80s tracks by artists like Donna Summer and Gloria Gaynor, so the sound will be familiar. The focus is on Douglas's strengths, as melody and songwriting take centre stage at the expense of more adventurous production.
Richard Barratt also contributes a few edits as Crooked Man. There are the funky disco loops of "Crooked Man Remix" and the maximalist synth sweeps of "Crooked Man Remix Edit," both of which also focus on familiar sounds. "Crooked Man Dub" has more to offer, as Douglas's vocal is filtered to take on a sleazy quality. Given DFA's recent reputation for swinging between post-punk, electro and other more adventurous styles, Douglas's conservative approach might not win over many new fans.
Tracklist01. Never Saw It Coming
02. Never Saw It Coming (Crooked Man Remix)
03. Never Saw It Coming (Crooked Man Dub)
04. Never Saw It Coming (Crooked Man Remix Edit)