Full of childlike wonder and summer warmth
The Brighton, England-based band The Go! Team is known for their eclectic blend of multiple styles of music—from indie rock to funk to old-school hip-hop. No two songs are the same on their newest album Get Up Sequences Part One, but each song shares an overarching theme. Overall, the tunes give off the familiar feeling of prancing through sprinklers to escape the summer heat—an innocent, fun and childlike feel throughout.
The vocals, although they consist of different musicians throughout the tracks, are highlighted in almost every song. The sweet and high-pitched vocals perfectly compliment the funky electronic beats created in the album. The mind behind the project, Ian Parton, created The Go! Team because of his intense need to combine entirely different types of music—from double dutch chants to Bollywood soundtracks, a sort of musical collage. This desire for a combination of odd music culminated in the creation of the band’s first album Thunder, Lightning and Strike, released in 2004. This album was what led to the band’s quick success, and they continue to mix and combine different styles of music into a big, fantastical musical potion.
The vocalists vary from Ninja, a veteran member of the band, and other guest musicians. The background beats work to create a wonderfully eccentric yet calming sound that mimics the quiet nature of summer evenings and an odd sense of controlled chaos. The vocals are soft but sprightly, and the beats are odd but draw the listener in closer with each song. The whole band works together to create a sound unlike any other. Welcome to The Go! Team… a band whose sound cannot be defined.
The album starts off with “Let the Seasons Work,” which opens with a grandiose use of horns, trumpets and drums as they come together to form a triumphant sounding tune. “Cookie Scene” follows after, and the sound switches a bit with a lighthearted hip-hop song rapped by IndigoYaj, but still making sure to feature all the elements that make up The Go! Team. An electronic beat with a soft and funky rhythm plays behind the fast-paced lyrics but fails to create a ’90s-esque sound.
A spunky fireball emerges in the song “Pow,” which appears towards the middle of the album, rapped by resident band member Ninja. Similar to “Cookie Scene,” it collaborates elements of hip-hop and indie rock. It sounds like something out of the ’90s, and yet it’s something entirely its own. So many elements come together in one song, creating a rainbow of different musical styles. It might give the listener the inclination to dance to its insatiable beat of everything all at once. It’s an experience that simply has to be had.
The final songs play out the same way a droplet of ice cream descends from its cone: sticky and sweet. That is to say, the songs feel slower but still keeping up the same energy throughout the entire album. “A Bee Without It’s Sting” is a delightfully bright song, full of positive vibes and the vocals of Jessie Miller and Rian Woods, which sound as if they’re smiling as they sing. Their vocals uplift the song with pure joy and the essence of everything good. The song leads into “Tame the Great Plains,” a brilliant instrumental with lots of cymbals, horns and jive. The sweet sounds blend into the final song, “World Remember Me Now,” which features elements of calypso and indie rock.
Get Up Sequences Part One is exactly as it’s titled. It’s a culmination of songs that will make the listener get up on their feet and dance. Each song has its own personality, but it’s clear that they’re all in the same family. They are warm and gone all too quickly, leaving a sweet taste on the tongue and a beat that’s a bit hard to place on the mind. It’s bright and playful—the perfect album to play in our first summer back of semi-normality.
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