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LadyDot Review: Little Violet – Code Red (Album)

All the colours of Electro Swing. Album review: Little Violet – “Code Red”

Electro Swing reflects different feelings and emotions: joy, love, nostalgia, positive energy… Through Electro Swing you can tell many stories, make you think or just simply enjoy life and the music. Today I will prove to you that every song can also be… a colour! Let me take you on a journey through this colourful Electro Swing world. In this tour we will be accompanied by Little Violet’s excellent new album, “Code Red”.

Violet: “Good on Me”

An intro with an original guitar playing gypsy jazz suggests to us that we certainly won’t get bored listening to “Good on Me”. As you know, I produce CDs and vinyl on a Polish record label. I’ve listened to quite a few albums in my life and I must say that the tracklist in “Code Red” is arranged in perfect order. “Good on Me” perfectly introduces us to the vintage atmosphere. It leaves us with an appetite for even more!

Black and White: “Silent Movie”.

This track just couldn’t have any other colour. When I listen to it, I imagine a date in an old cinema. A stylish man dressed in suspender trousers and a cap (yes, of course I mean my husband! Haha! :)) invites me to a silent movie with live music. “Silent Movie” is a sentimental journey. Little Violet sings: “I’m an old fashioned girl, looking for a man to show me romance” – and in that moment I 100% identify with the lyrics, longing for the times I didn’t live in.

Blood Red: “Code Red”

If you don’t quite feel red-hot after listening to the song, be sure to check out the music video that was released a few days after the album’s release. “Code Red” is, of course, the title track. As you know, I just love the sound of wind instruments – and there are a lot of them here – they run through almost the entire song, occasionally giving way to subtle piano. This slowing down of the tempo gives you time to catch your breath before a track you won’t be able to sit still for.

Silver: “Other Side”

A giant silver disco ball appeared before my eyes, towering over the dance floor and shimmering with different colours. Do you like disco? Then I am sure you will like this song a lot! It’s a real mix of genres: I hear some pop, some funk and of course a lot of disco. Electro Swing makes up a very small percentage here – in my opinion, this is very good, because Little Violet shows us that she also finds herself very well in other music genres.

Green: “Roll the Dice”

Hands up whoever, when listening to this track, felt like they were in a casino? I see the colour green of the carpet that coats the gaming tables everywhere. “Roll the Dice” is a real roulette: either someone will like it less or more. Unfortunately, I belong to the first group. It’s a bit monotonous, repetitive and quite similar to previous songs. Or maybe I just have this impression, because in a moment I will hear one of my favourite songs?

A whole range of colours: “Limits”

Finally, I hear swing hop, in which Little Violet finds herself as perfectly as in classic Electro Swing. This melodic recitation totally appeals to me – when I listen to “Limits” I feel like I’m being transported from grey reality into a world of many colours. I think it’s because of the fantastic chorus, which already after the first listening falls completely in your memory. Do you agree with me?

Pink: “Taking You with Me”

Why is this song pink for me? The sweet piano sound, Little Violet’s flirty vocals, the pop rhythms… Everything here fits together perfectly! I can also hear the fantastic bass guitar (well, now that I’m listening to “Taking You with Me” I’m starting to have doubts – or maybe it’s the double bass?) and the revue brass section. It’s just a shame that the song stops so abruptly – although I don’t regret it that much, because there’s a real music firecracker ahead!

Blue: “Swinging Melodies”

I cannot describe how much I love this song. For the guitar, which again plays in a gypsy style, for the crazy piano, for the raging trumpet and above all for the way Little Violet’s voice flows beautifully through this wave of good music! My legs just want to dance – even though I can’t dance! I only hope that my face will not turn blue after such feats – as Little Violet sings in “Swinging Melodies”. :)

Yellow: “No Questions”

When I first listened to this song, what caught my attention at first were the brass instruments, which sound so very “sunny” – motivational, holiday, funky…. I don’t quite know how to describe this feeling. Little Violet sounds a bit like Caro Emerald here, and I can safely say that I wish her the kind of career that Caro just had.

Gold: “Runaway”

I will honestly admit that I am very impressed with how many colours of her voice Little Violet shows here. From the thin, delicate to the strong, even predatory tone. Her vocals are just honest gold. What I love about her is that she sings each song as if she were telling a story or a fairy tale. Something beautiful.

Orange: “Playing with Fire”

Do you also get hot after the first sounds of “Playing with Fire”? A mysterious aura that ignites us already after the first verse and chorus… Little Violet’s subtle, pleasant soul voice stimulates us on the one hand, and on the other gradually extinguishes this flame – so that in a moment we are prepared for a calm ending.

Dark Violet: “All the World’s a Stage”

The emotions are slowly subsiding, so we calm down a bit. I imagine a couple dancing the foxtrot in an old smoky restaurant. The heavy air, the intense smell of red wine and the floating atmosphere conducive to romance… Hearing a theme taken from one of the James Bond films makes me think Little Violet could easily be his girlfriend!

Paint your own musical picture

How do you colour your world? You don’t need crayons or paint. When there’s a colour missing in your life, just listen to a song of your choice from Little Violet’s “Code Red” album. It’s enough to fuel your feelings, transport you to another place for a while or just feel the Electro Swing vibe. Which one will you choose? It all depends entirely on you.

Written & reviewed by  LadyDot (Ja, Wizeruk) Date: 2021-09-13

Bio – LadyDot

Anna (LadyDot) was born in ’94, but always felt she came from the Golden Twenties. “Polka” in Polish means “girl from Poland”, so she’s “Polka in polka dots”. She loves vintage style and spontaneous travels around Europe. But her greatest love (apart from her husband) is of course music, especially Electro Swing.

On her own Blog www.jawizeruk.pl she writes about various music genres. She is a copywriter, so writing is her strong point. Anna likes singing (not only in the shower!) and cooking (especially Italian and Hungarian cuisine).

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