(Defected/Shock)

When we hear the name Sandy Riviera, we are instantly taken back to days of packed dance floors as the seminal hit ‘Finally’ boomed from the speakers, now under his ‘Kings of Tomorrow’ guise comes the much anticipated ‘Trouble’, an album destined to be remembered for some time to come.

Unlike many artists who rely heavily on sampling, ‘Trouble’ is 100% original music; and whilst sampling is far from a bad thing, it is refreshing to know there are still artists out there taking the time to create music entirely of their own. Featuring the Philippines Symphony Orchestra and vocalists Haze, Nina, Steve Edwards and LT Brown, ‘Trouble’ is exceptionally good listening from beginning to end; the production faultless, the lyrics exquisitely written and the instrumentation beautifully hypnotic.

Technical achievements aside, it must be noted that Riviera is an artist who isn’t afraid to move between different styles and sounds. As the album moves along, expect to be treated to a soothing mix of acoustic guitars and sultry beats (Make Believe), acid tinged house (Sometimes), deep progressive grooves and technoid fixtures (London Fog)’ and even a little country and western (6pm) can be found sitting pretty at the halfway point.

The later half of the album moves from dirty beats and anthemic buildups (Civil Unrest) to a dose of Peter Gunn vs Vangelis vs Bond (No Problem) and closes with the very radio friendly and melodious ‘Changes’ (RnB Version). ‘Trouble’, whilst comfortably familiar is inventive, original and timeless.