24K Magic And Retro Culture

Earlier this month, I took note of a trend that’s been sweeping Internet culture off its feet: namely, the retro movement, esp. in regards to 80’s and 90’s memorabilia. It’s everywhere – just take a look at the vaporwave subculture and see what I mean (although the genre has changed considerably over the last few years)! But I also noted that this augmented interest and demand for retro material had influenced the music industry as well.

Bruno Mars’ latest release, 24k Magic, exemplifies what I’m talking about perfectly. Bruno Mars has always had a lot of more classical music genres influence his work – the kid (I say that even though he’s older than me) loves R’n’B, doo-wop (*cough cough*), funk, reggae, and disco, and he isn’t afraid to show it; hell, he’s downright prideful about it. Trace amounts of these aforementioned genres pop up in his work from time to time (and sometimes they’re outright throwback tunes), but none of his albums have been anywhere near as old-school as 24k Magic. 24k Magic is drenched with disco, funk, synth-pop, 90’s R’n’B, and neo-soul that sounds like it’s been torn off the gilded shoulders of the 80’s and 90’s, and it all somehow works – it’s a cohesive package, representative of a trend that’s been taking the 2010’s by storm.

The opulent lead single, “24k Magic”, is the kind of sumptuous, overproduced slab of dance-funk bands like Nu Shooz or Kraftwerk would revel in – it’s enormous and packed to the brim with Zapp-esque talkbox vocals, synth-basslines, annoyingly catchy hooks (PUT YOUR. PINKY. RINGS UP. TO THE. MOOOOOOON) and an overwhelming amount of swagger that renders the track impossible to hate. It’s fun, plain and simple; Bruno sprechgesangs his way through the track and intermittently sings, which gives it a strong hip-hop vibe as well. “Perm” has an overwhelming, 70’s funk vibe; the constant movement and freestyle vocals feels like a peculiar love child between Jamiroquai and James Brown. It’s an absolute rip-off, but it works. “That’s What I Like” sounds like a hip-hop soul ballad from the 90’s; “Too Good to Say Goodbye” is an awesomely cheesy, theatric 80’s pop ballad, with Bruno really letting loose and delivering one of his best vocal performances ever; “Versace On The Floor” is the kind of soaring R’n’B ballad Brian McKnight, All 4 One, or even Peter Gabriel would pen up. It completely draws from a retro-drenched pool of genres, practically reaching through into the past and stealing whole chunks from it, but STILL it works!

Part of the reason is because the whole thing feels incredibly natural. It’s obvious Bruno and his crew are having a hell of a good time with this project, and that these tunes have come straight from their hearts. That carefree sense of fun and energy pervades throughout the entire LP, which makes it kind of a breeze to listen to (the fact that it’s not much longer than a half hour helps, though). It’s kind of hilarious how Skrillex claimed this album is “so fucking different, awesome and next level and sounds like nothing else that's happened before” when, in actuality, it draws from a vast array of genres and styles that have already been done before in droves. But the real beauty of this LP is Bruno’s ability to use these retro stylings and then throw his own unique twist on it; you’ll stay for that.

Tl;dr – it’s a great album, and it perfectly illustrates the growing demand and interest in retro culture in a way that words simply can’t. Don’t believe me? Then just watch it.