Album Review: The Desire Suite
Album Review: Sappho & Damon Boucher – The Desire Suite
January 25, 2022
Amelia Helland
Amelia returns with another album review, this time shining light on Portland-based artists Sappho and Damon Boucher. The duo released The Desire Suite on their label Koritsi Komma Records back in November 2021, which Amelia describes as a “delightful breath of deep house air.”
Album Cover via Bandcamp
The Desire Suite was recently released by Sappho and Damon Boucher on their new label Koritsi Komma Records as “a celebration of queer love” for their Pacific North West community and beyond. With a great fusion of percussion influences, strokes of colorful synth, and powerful non-binary vocals, this LP is a delightful breath of deep house air.
As if beside an ocean, feeling the light splashes of muted bass, listeners float away with a minimalist soundscape that builds until swallowed by warm waves and bubbles of low synth. An otherworldly scene unfolds with tribal percussion and diaphanous ripples of piano before adventurous drums and pulsating synths take the lead in turning the “Desire Suite Intro” inside out, revealing a bouncy groove called “All I Want Is You.“ Soon, the bass pulls through with strobing vocals, stoking a vivacious party.
Without deviating from the flow, a snappy snare breaks through, allowing another wave of energy to flood the speakers via ethereal pads in “I Want You.” This song gives the effect of being submerged in water with bass and light tribal percussion, which gradually comes to focus as a seductive voice invites listeners to revel in “Still Waters.” Featuring wide-ranging, soulful vocals, and synths that sail through rolling waves of beats, “Still Waters” feels like a uniquely laid-back party jam. At some point, the beat breaks and builds heat with robotic synths and intermittent dub waves, and an angelic voice rises to release tension in “Higher Love.”
Without a doubt, the album sequence naturally captures the primal essence of movement, which is a great success. Its acoustic layers feel fluid, uplifting, and soothing while holding space for mystery and adventure. All in all, this release is a great reason to support Koritsi Komma Records — go check it out and show them love on Bandcamp, Soundcloud, and IG!
Amelia is a nonbinary fashionista and multidisciplinary artist known for her loving spirit, prescient wisdom, and dry epigrammatic humor. When she isn't working as a data scientist or bonding with cats/community, she enjoys dancing, singing, drumming, drawing, writing, enjoying nature, doing yoga, playing piano, and listening to records.