Album Review: Emotional Oranges – The Juice: Vol II

Emotional Oranges made quite a splash with the release of The Juice: Vol I earlier this year. Building on that success, they front up with another album bursting with a juicy selection of eight tracks. The mysterious duo from LA continue to maintain their anonymity in a way that recalls Daft Punk, fuelling the urban myth that Emotional Oranges is a collaboration between Drake’s engineer and Adele’s vocal coach. 

As they squeeze R&B, hip hop and funk into a kind of chilled pop, the chemistry between these two is undeniable. Vol II deals in a svelte groove which dreamily shimmers out of our speakers. Their smoulderingly luscious vibe isn’t particularly genre purist – these tunes consistently aim for maximum appeal. It’s easy to see why they have everyone from Michelle Obama to Kanye West reaching for repeat. Their approach is light and playful but there is enough melody and groove to keep pushing us through this album. A male/female duo, the contrast of their voices and perspectives seemingly chase after each other across this record. Emotional Oranges herald the coming of antipodean summer with a feelgood soundtrack for good times.