- Session Victim's 2012 debut album, The Haunted House Of House, proved a few things. The first was that the German duo knew how to craft the sort of hook that makes your heart flip. The second was that they knew how to coax more than a few different textures out of their machines. The third was that they had an appreciation for the album format, which meant their house kicks were infused with soul, disco and funk.
The upshot of all that is that Hauke Freer and Matthias Reiling were perfect candidates for what happened next: a chance hook-up with the lavishly equipped Room G studio in San Francisco. Reportedly, half of the LP was made at home in Hamburg, and half across the pond in San Fran with, as they told DJ Mag, "about 14 two-hour trips" through the dollar-bins at Amoeba. Crucially, though, you could never tell what came from where: the samples, '80s drum machines, synths, Fender Rhodes and bits recorded on software back home are all meshed together so seamlessly.
One area where See You When You Get There improves on The Haunted House Of House is in the details. The ideas and overall effect are similar—elastic grooves, exquisite melodies and a real sense of musicality—but here there's even more fluidity and flow. Every sound breathes a bit more, as if they've gotten a bit of sun. Another key to its success is balance—far from becoming overly saccharine, the album has some dark to counter the light. Session Victim are fine fusionists who mix up the old and new, the synthetic and organic, in ways that elude so many other artists.
Tracklist01. Do It Now
02. Hey Stranger
03. Make People Dance
04. See You When You Get There
05. Never Forget
06. Stick Together
07. Hyuwee
08. The Most Beautiful Divorce Ever
09. Crystal Maze
10. Under Your Spell
11. Eos Place