Cementing a year that saw a string of sublime stellar releases from Mario & Vidis, the dynamic force give house music a new accessible heartbeat with their album Changed, set for release next spring. Mario & Vidis title their debut artist album after their Future Classic anthem, Changed,an apt advocate to the new age slow house sound they have mastered and unmask themselves as purveyors of a hive of activity in their Lithuanian home. Spanning two discs and twenty tracks they cover much musical terrain, striding through epic soundscapes, hypnotic pop melodies, wandering into pure soul and running away with the finesse of raw house music on the second disc.Changed opens with the atmosphere heavy Introducing to you, lightly tickling the senses.
Before delving into the vocal delights of Kathy Diamond for ‘In My System’, a collaboration that came about after Vidis brought England’s disco queen to play in Lithuania. The record for which Mario & Vidis made their name, ‘Changed’, was co-written by Ernesto after the duo admired his earlier inspiring releases. Two cuts feature from number one Lithuanian female act, singer- songwriter Jazzu, who creates apparitions within her ethereal and buoyant vocal in ‘I’ll Be Gone’ and the ensueing, ‘Who’s Shot the Silence?’. Jazzu is Lithuania’s embodiment of Goldfrapp or Roisin Murphy and a true cult figure in the region. Other contributions from Lithuanian homegrown artists Vytautas Sondeckis and Giedre illustrate a diverse spectrum and heavy collection of local talent. Now electronic music dominates Western Europe, its eastern counterpart is flourishing and taking the music in new directions. Disc two treks into their electronic heart, showcasing a collection of deep, dubby dancefloor cuts. The rolling grooves of ‘You Are Here’, and epic synths of ‘Test’ appear amidst reedits of the prior material. The result is an engulfing journey that personifies a broody older sibling from the first disc.
