It’s been quite a while since anything has been heard from collaborative downtempo group, Lovage. The project was lead by prolific hip-hop producer Dan the Automator with vocals from well known workaholic Mike Patton, Elysian Fields singer Jennifer Charles, as well as Canadian DJ Kid Koala. Their sole release in 2001, Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By, featured atmospheric trip-hop instrumentation alongside primarily sexual vocals. The resulting work was unique and well received (check out mxdwn’s review from 2002!). Over time, it seems that love for this project has only grown, the fact that comments like this still fill the band’s YouTube posts should speak for itself.

Well, today fans should be delighted, because Dan the Automator and Jennifer Charles have reunited on a single for Amazon’s Songs of Summer playlist. In classic Lovage fashion, the song is called, “Summer Lovin’” and is every bit as groovy as you’d expect it to be. Dense instrumentation by Dan the Automator is accented perfectly by Charles’ ethereal vocals. Their musical chemistry sounds as fresh today as it did back in ‘01.

The full Amazon Songs of Summer playlist will come out on Friday, June 23rd. Dan the Automator and Charles’ song will appear alongside the work of other popular artists like Foxygen, Temples, Twin Peaks, and EMA. It’s a testament to the innovative nature of Lovage that their 2001 formula holds up today, and isn’t out of place in a compilation of modern music.

Could this reuniting mean that new Lovage is on the way? Only time will tell, but until then we can always listen to our reissue of Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By.