Since forming roughly two years ago and releasing their first mixtape $lytherin last year, Argentine duo Coral Casino have quickly become Latin American practitioners of the so-called alt-R&B revolution that has become a fixture of the mainstream U.S. charts (think The Weeknd). Comprised of Lara Artesi and Roque Ferrari, Coral Casino’s M.O. is a game of Venus vs. Mars over beachy, breezy beats. Following the success of $lytherin and a full dance card’s worth of tour dates in 2015, the duo has released a new EP entitled Summer Romance. The collection will have you ready to don your swimsuit and locs and head out to the beach in search of bae – whether it’s summer or winter wherever you are.
The three-track set was produced by Orodembow. In addition to the dreamy synths and airy, digitally distorted vocals that gained them fans on $lytherin, Coral Casino’s sound on Summer Romance has a healthy serving of reggaeton and dancehall riddims. The title track is a slow burn of rolling dembow and drawling monotone vocals. Artesi and Ferrari play well off each other, and together make for a hypnotizing ode to the trappings of summer love. On “Amor de Chocolate,” the duo take more of a backseat to PXXR GVNG affiliate El Mini (aka Moisturisin’ Mini), who delivers some sticky sweet auto-tuned bars (at one point referring to his boo as “Candy Crush”). Two thirds of the way through the song, Artesi arrives to challenge the two gents, though the interlude is all too brief. Summer Romance ends with a remix of “Telling,” a $lytherin cut, transforming it from a hazy slow jam into a dutty wine anthem.
Overall, Coral Casino proves that the sounds of their moody alt-R&B can be remixed into a surreal Caribbean bonche. Granted, this isn’t exactly music to turn up to, but you’ll be more than happy to let it transport you to an island state of mind.