Morgan Page
In The Air

Jimmy? Heaven forbid, Morgan is much better and more handsome too! Come on, grant me the pleasure of an innocent, healthy, liberating, blasphemous, and iconoclastic provocation, since I'm already damned beyond redemption, there's no way I can retract or correct my initial statement, and the second is simply an objective fact. Ok, enough, what was I trying to express this time? Ah, now I remember, my original intention was to start this review with a question: "What makes a pop dance album beautiful, interesting, and worth listening to?" Pop dance, precisely, lately the general trend of my listening goes in this direction, maybe it's the spring just around the corner, maybe it's what it is. I like to consider myself a straightforward guy, more attentive to substance than appearance, and this aspect of my character is also reflected in my preferences: For those who are not aware, I detest with every fiber of my being Madonna, Lady Gaga, Kylie Minogue, and assorted derivatives, their pandering, arrogance, overconfidence, vocal talents next to zero, the media hype supporting them, delusions of grandeur, and ridiculous claims of "alternativity" both in image and music make me nauseous. In contrast, I adore intensity, powerful, vibrant, and organic rhythms, refinement without unnecessary frills, and a certain measure of balance, good taste, and sobriety, foundational pillars of this 2012 pop gem.

How many great artists have I discovered exploring that semi-submerged scene labeled with the most varied appellations: house, techno, trance, funktronica, club music, disco music: Chromeo, Sound Of Arrows, Ferry Corsten, Little Boots, and the presented Morgan Page. As for subgenres and specific classifications, I admit my ignorance, for me these people simply make great pop music, each in their own way. About Morgan, what can I say, born in 1981, an American from Vermont, DJ and producer. His music tends to be classified as "progressive house"; a label which, whatever it precisely means, doesn't seem particularly fitting for this album specifically: the term progressive I would more easily associate with Ferry Corsten, with his 6/7 minute very spectacular, structured, and often purely instrumental tracks, here instead it never deviates from a standard song format. Simple things then, but really made as the Gods command.

Mr. Page generally relies on female vocalists for more upbeat tracks and male ones for atmospheric ones, always with pleasant and positive results, but overall it's definitely not the voice/voices the reason you appreciate an album like "In The Air"; I'd rather say for the atmosphere and the energy it manages to convey. "Body Work", "Loves Mistaken", "Gimme Plenty", "Video", a full, rich electronic sound, and, why not, frivolous, spicy, and sexy enough. The "why" of the album lies especially in episodes like these, which moreover are just dance, period and that's it: no intrusive hip-hop, urban, or other American-glam contaminations, and even this for me is a great added value. With a solid foundation like this Morgan Page can rework and experiment with variations on the theme in total tranquility, proposing interesting and effective solutions like the initial title track "In The Air", a play of rhythms and trance sounds in Corsten style, with a pleasantly visionary and grand mood, intriguing mid-tempos like "Carry Me" and "The Actor", episodes with slightly soulful influences in the singing like "The Only One" and the ballad "Addicted". A varied and complete setlist, songs that fit together perfectly, forming a coherent, harmonious, unified discourse.

And then? Ah, yes, there's also a cover of "Message In A Bottle". The original makes me itch and causes irritations almost everywhere (yep, hell won't let me go now), but in this case, it's truly a whole different story: Morgan's delightful smooth singing, soft and enveloping synths that round out every edginess, a skillful and appropriate use of filters and vocal effects, perfect for enhancing the elegant and polished atmosphere of the reworking. This is truly a cover done by the book, Robin Page has managed to completely take over something not his and reinterpret it with great mastery in a personal key. An unexpected added value for an excellent album by a very interesting artist, who here demonstrates a well-defined personality, great feeling with pop melody, and truly impeccable sound care, which however never degenerates into sickly patinas. The songs of "In The Air" retain a vague but essential rustic aftertaste of a dancefloor, energy, and authentic passion; it is a light record in every sense, especially for the absence of that annoying and indigestible scent of Hollywood muck that, thanks to the mass media, is generally associated with today's USA-made pop.