- Tokyo's Phil Gerus is another name in the crowded world of electronic R&B. Rather than sing his own lovelorn paeans, however, Gerus twists the voices of others, with a disregard for song structure that recalls James Blake's earliest work. But where Blake's 12-inches were sticks of nightclub dynamite—and had the feeling that anything could happen—Gerus' music is conservative and mild-mannered. On Opposites Left Together, his most prominent release yet and first for George FitzGerald's ManMakeMusic, he seems content to splash around in the shallow end.
"Adorn Your Ankles" is an attractive way to begin the EP. It's a waifish song where all the personality comes from a softly noodling sax and some vintage funk synths, but even these ideas register as chic reference points rather than anything actually conveying emotion. The same goes for "Kissing This And That Of You," which feels like half a tune—all the elements are there but not really in place—or the title track, which is basically an unfinished disco edit. The funkier "Hold Your Tongue And Let Me Love" benefits from a stronger backbone, but it's undone by some overzealous filter work. Only "Voice To Voice Lip To Lip" feels fully accomplished. With a lilting beat, gospel vocals and smooth composition, it's everything that you'd hope Gerus' music would be. Next to it, the rest of the EP sounds either undercooked or overdone.
TracklistA1 Adorn Your Ankle
A2 Hold Your Tongue & Let Me Move
B1 Kissing This & That Of You
B2 Opposites Left Together
B3 Voice To Voice Lip To Lip