Album Review: A Deeper Life

Originally from Tamaki Makaurau, brothers and production duo Louis and Ben (AKA Beans) Helliker-Hales, known as Chaos In The CBD, have gone local lads to an international DJ phenomenon, clocking up over 100 million streams worldwide.

The journey from the beaches of Aotearoa to the clubs of Peckham, London, over 10 years ago, has seen them rise up to be one of the hottest acts in the house music. A quick search will pull up DJ, the revered Roundhouse, fabric in London, Robert Johnson in Frankfurt, DC10 Ibiza, Womb Tokyo, Timewarp São Paulo, Glastonbury and Love International to name but a few.

But the boys had a yearn for their earlier days back here and wanted to create “a love letter to home and that feeling of being within nature,” they say in their Press.

The result was this album A Deeper Life. Production began around 2019 during periods of experimentation in their home studio. Previously, the brothers were all about the beats and bleeps’. So, this, they promise is a departure – a 14 track long player fusing together key musical influences – Ambient, Soulful house, R&B, Jazz and Balearic.

Still, given their club pedigree I was expecting a set of heavy doof-doof. So, it was a pleasant surprise to find a more chill approach. To these ears it’s a mix of Ibiza late night and good ol’ fashion acid jazz, with diversions into 80’s house and soul.

Like all the best producers they call on a range of friends and conspirators to flesh out most of the tracks and give them gravitas and meaning.

You can’t deny there’s a re-emerging 60’s Brazilian beach party vibe going on throughout. That’s probably got something to do with the contributions from frequent collaborator Nathan Haines. The duo re-mixed his album track Belo Dia, from his eleventh studio album Notes. He appears on the album’s cruisy single Love Language and later on my personal favourite late-night lounge smoothie Tongariro Crossing.

The former, Love Language, is all dance floor shuffle and hustle. With Nathan Haine’s trade mark soprano sax croon and a good thumping bass back beat this tune could be your next summer BBQ soundtrack favourite.

The latter, Tongariro Crossing, has Haines back with his distinctive flautist grooves over silky samba beats, with just a smidgeon of a nod to 60’s Brazilian icon Joao (accent over o) Gilberto. Apparently, the number was inspired by a hike the boys did with their father, across mountains featured in The Lord of the Rings. Not sure how obvious that is, though.

There are other collabs on this disc, too, including some nice, soothing horns from the enchanting trumpet of Isaac Aesili, who also contributed to their breakthrough EP, Midnight In Peckham. For this one the boys have put together loops with a strong cadence punctuated by floating horns layered in thick milky reverb. It’s cocktail hour somewhere in the world when this is on the turntable.

Mountain Mover should be on the soundtrack to an early 70’s Bond Movie – during the smoochie part. South London based Alex Cosmo adds some delicious jazz-tinged guitar, in contrast to the ticking Casio-tone and the rattlesnake maracas and rice shakers that make up the percussion track.

Just when I’m yearning for a bit more vocal input Maintaining My Peace comes in featuring the effortless, yet conscious rhymes of UK Grime MC Novelist (Kwadwo Quentin Kankam) and the sweet, sweet VB’s of veteran house singer-songwriter Stephanie Cooke. Both artists, I have a new respect for and sent me down a research rabbit hole in search of more.

That’s followed up by a super 80’s soul style number Tears, sung by Japanese/American Funk mistress Saucy Lady. Another artist new to my ears, but I’m loving the retro-swing of this one, with Mica Paris vibes are all over my phones.

Another standout is I Wanna Tell Somebody, featuring Josh Milan of house pioneers Blaze. His slightly gravelly vocals remind me of Aaron Neville, with that big-shouldered 80’s voice over beat perfect bossa nova

Chicago house hero the Lee Pearson Jr. Collective features on the deep funk of More Time. The bass is really going on this one and I’m finally feeling the call of the dance floor.

Tasmanian born keyboardist Finn Rees adds a bit of xylophone treble to Otaki. Shame it’s not the real thing. But it’s a great approximation and once again takes you off to those tropical beach clubs, umbrellas and pina coladas.

Here and there the album has some tracks that feel a bit sparse, maybe unfinished. The opener Down By The Cove starts with promise. Chirping birds and bamboo flutes, hints of the bush, exploring the mysterious jungle. A repeating melody that runs in an endless circle giving Buddha Bar and Cafe Del Mar vibes. It just seems to have lost its direction. Or maybe that’s the point?

The birds are back later on during Barefoot On The Tarmac, along with some monastery vocal overdubs. Care for a bit of Enigma, anyone?

Although, the most incomplete, at least to me is the lounge-y Brain Gymnasium. Without a solo or some vocals, it’s an opportunity lost.

Another, Marlboro Sounds inspired by family fishing trips to the Sounds, offers a story – if you’d read the liner notes. But, aurally, apart from some subtle smatterings of the ocean and native there’s not much else to go on. None the less I will concede these comfortable, smoky loops, beats and lapping waves do give it a relaxing new age feel.

The most pronounced use of the waves is on The Eternal Checkout. Because of Turkish pianist and composer Cenk Esen’s contribution on the electric piano it feels more like a complete piece. It has a nice soothing ambient quality, like those tracks you listen to get to sleep when you are feeling anxious. I’m adding this to my ‘insomnia’ playlist. But seriously, I do love it’s gentle calming qualities. If only it built up to a higher place or took some twists or turns. It reminds me a little of Up and Down by Black Jazz Chronicles.

This is, overall, an amazing collection. I think it’s incredible thing to risk everything for your dreams, establish yourself and then find the time, the voice, and the willingness to collaborate, share your ideas and stamp your individual mark on your work. The brothers have done this. They’ve captured themselves here and put it there. This album will be the perfect accompaniment to summer both here and in the UK. The mission was to “create a holiday inside our heads.” I think they’ve done that.