Game, Set, Match

Sofi Tukker’s Sophomore album, titled WET TENNIS, is an acronym for “When everyone tries to evolve, nothing negative is safe.” While WET TENNIS doesn’t break outside of what is expected from Sofi Tukker’s house style, it is a welcomed entry to their discography. An evolution of sound isn’t present between Tukker’s last album titled Treehouse and WET TENNIS, though there seems to be new ambition in Tukker’s newest project.

WET TENNIS consists of twelve distinct tracks, sitting at around 35 minutes in total. There isn’t room for a song to linger too long, and if it does, it’s noticeable. There is a distinctiveness and variation from track to track that brings ambition to the project. The “no fluff” mentality benefits the album, only presenting sounds that make a quick impression, all feeling hard-hitting. The only halt to the album is the “Interlude” track, it feels unnecessary and unimportant, not only due to its 50-second run time but due to the change in direction. With the previous five songs prior to the interlude feeling like hot dance and house beats, the interlude shifts away too drastically to feel like it’s been purposefully placed. Although the interlude feels drastically different from the previous songs, it hints at a new potential sound that should be explored in further projects.

There is undoubtedly a fusion of cultural and worldly sounds throughout the entirety of WET TENNIS. From the opening track “Kakee,” a majority of the track being in Portuguese, there is a prominent influence from other countries. Whether it’s the Indian violins and instrumentation in “Forgive Me,” or the Caribbean drums in “Larry Bird,” there are slight influences from around the globe that make tracks stand apart from each other. These influences are subtle and infused into electronic elements with precision, never overwhelming or distasteful. “Mon Cheri” is a standout of this fusion style, incorporating a hard-hitting bass and overlapped low tone lyrics that make the track feel like a house version of a soccer chant. There is a grandness to “Mon Cheri,” and much like watching a sports spectacle, there is scale within the twelve tracks.

The sampling of sports sounds is an interesting theme that doesn’t overwhelm the central electronic sounds throughout WET TENNIS. The samples of whistles, horns or the quoted words in “Larry Bird,” tie the themes in the album without sacrificing substance or feeling out-of-place. There is an intensity, quickness, and directed sound within WET TENNIS, much like the intensity of a sports game. The track “Freak” is a brief, fast-paced thrill ride and slingshots into a groovy bassline. While other songs on the project could easily have been just as fast-paced, Tukker limits the ferociousness of songs and lets “Freak” stand out.

While songs like “Original Sin,” “Summer In New York” and “Forgive Me” drive themselves away from the sports influence, they thrive in their house and dance elements. Vocally “Forgive Me” is a complete standout, soft tones and theatrical vocals paired with an epic orchestral backdrop bring emotion to the lyrics. “Forgive Me” feels separated from the project, but it’s too memorable and hard not to love its addition to the album. “Original Sin” forms such an infectious house beat that could go on for several minutes and still excite. The low vocals and soft tones match well the high hats and bass creating a sound that will persuade listeners to hit the repeat button.

The weakest track of WET TENNIS is its cover closing track titled, “What A Wonderful World.” Attempting to change the pacing and instrumentation of Armstrong’s legendary song separates itself from the original, but not in a good way.  The cover sucks any emotion and closeness from the original and trades it in for a bland backbeat. The vocal performance may be suave, with Latin tones and guitar throughout, but its obscurity and separation from the album as a whole are just confusing.

WET TENNIS proves it is capable of leaving a unique impression within its short run time. There is a tidiness in its twelve tracks and although there could be more, it is sweet and to the point. The themes and influences throughout infuse with Tukker’s house and electronic roots pair nicely. It should be applauded that there is something special about the sophomore album, as it’s a real ace.