R.I. Peter - "Soft Serve"
Soft Serve, the new album from Kansas City’s R.I. Peter, is a simultaneously light, far-out, and funky affair. Peter Beatty, the songwriter behind the project, creates alternate universes through his eclectic songs that are sometimes rhythmic and pulsating, but at other times, venture into more ambient and relaxing territory. No matter the mood that Beatty sets, his music is consistently transportive, utilizing an array of sonic flourishes, electronic instrumentation, and his versatile voice to make each song a little immersive world of its own.
R.I. Peter’s sonic character morphs from track to track, immediately shifting from the futuristic and motorik sounding “Green House,” to a short and tranquil instrumental called “There’s Something.” The tone bounces around some more as the record progresses: “Cruis’n” and “Remember” feel like sensual glam rock bangers, complete with ripping guitar solos, while “In Your Eyes” and “That Night” are slow-burning love-drunk ballads. And then there are songs like “Rising Sun” and “Voyage,” which thrive on creating more flowing, uninterrupted atmospherics. Oh, and I can’t forget to mention my favorite track, “J'étais Au Supermarché,” which is so slick, danceable, and smooth that it sounds like it was plucked right out of a Parisian discotheque.
On Soft Serve, Beatty took inspiration from the “fantastical musical worlds created by composers like Nintendo's Koji Kondo” and described it as “the culmination of a lifelong love of music spanning many genres.” That’s definitely an accurate description, as he deftly blends influences and styles in a way that’s quite adventurous, while still maintaining a necessary level of cohesion such that nothing really sounds out of place.
Stream the record in its entirety below!
Soft Serve is out now via Manor Records. You can grab a copy of the album on limited edition cassette on Bandcamp. It’s also available on all streaming platforms. Keep up with R.I. Peter by liking them on Facebook and following them on Instagram. Tonight, R.I. Peter is hosting a virtual listening party on his site at 8 PM CST. Don’t miss it!
