TropiCOOL & Cruising: 385North’s Cocktail

Details: By Loron Hays; 07 December 2018

385North's Cocktail

Vaporwave. Mallsoft. 80´s Retro. Whatever style of music 385North releases, this music producer continues to deliver all sorts of quality electronic sounds for your ears and your minds. His latest, Cocktail, delivers banger after banger galore. With beats and melodies this strong, the production on this release deserves its own drink: Kir Royale indeed.

With the arrival of Cocktail, released via TVVIN_PINEZ_M4LL’s Bogus Collective label, 385North goes cinematic and offers listeners an alternative (and better) soundtrack to 1988’s movie by the same name starring the one and only Tom Cruise. It begins with the winding FUNK of “I’m Looking For A Job” and, with solid percussion effects, this song is the perfect entry point into the reimagining of Cocktail’s soundtrack.

"With beats and melodies this strong, the production on this release deserves its own drink: Kir Royale indeed."

Twelve tracks that go out of their way to celebrate the comatose that being around an always inspiring Elisabeth Shue and a whole lot of mixed drinks brings; that’s what you get with just a little sip from this tasty beverage. Catchy (“Vodka Martini With A Pernod Float”), jazzy (Jus D'amour Means Juice Of Love), and a whole lot of fun (“Ever Worked Behind The Bar?”), this release takes listeners on an entertaining journey behind the bar.

And Cruise’s voice, used in samples from Cocktail as he played the ambitions ex-army dude who dreams of his own business, is spread throughout the twelve tracks. Too bad Kelly Lynch’s thong isn’t as well. Shucks. We can imagine it, though, thanks to the sexy funk that is an intrinsic part of tracks like “Are You Ready For The Big Time?” and “I’m Not Like All Women”; keep that sax blowing!

The smoothness continues with the grace and funky elegance of “Need Somebody”, the banging drums of “I’ll Take One Of Those Orange Things”, and the tinkling of synths in the cool “Bartender”, complete with thematic (and echoing) sax effects.

But, yes, with Bryan Brown samples also in tow, this release feels very much like a vaporwave tribute to the saxy high that is Cocktail. Fans of the movie AND the music scene are going to dig its rich tones. Stylized and focused, even the tropiCOOL of “Rum Specialties” works in bringing both a smile on our face and a swagger in the listener’s walk. {googleads}

The original soundtrack, full of oldies from Elvis and Little Richard, is notable for giving us The Beach Boys’ “Kokomo”, but was otherwise forgettable. This release, maybe not as planned, offers – at least to my ears – a better serving of exquisite escapism via liquid fun. How else can you explain the sheer joy that is “Hangover” and “The Luck Is Gone, The Brain Is Shut, But Liquor We Still Got!”?

385North's Cocktail

The journey to the world of flashy bartending begins here. But where it ends (maybe Jamaica?) is completely up to you. That’s the style and swagger of 385North as he gives the listener the power in his juiced-up beats and melodies. Cocktail is no different. So, tell me, why aren’t you swirling THIS cocktail, friend? Because you really should be.