SDLT: “Sliding Roads” – soulful, majestic and, above it all, immensely exciting!
Peruvian-born Santino De La Tore (aka SDLT) is an internationally acclaimed musician, composer, songwriter and vocalist, who has received a multitude of distinguished awards, including the Billboard Songwriting Award. SDLT’s music debuted in Hollywood by being featured in Steven Spielberg’s ‘War of the Worlds’. His compositions have since been featured in ‘The Shield’, ‘Prison Break’, ‘Employee of the Month’, ‘Kidnapped’ and ‘Homeland’, and many more. Santino relocated from Perú to California in 1997 and now operates his own studio in Los Angeles where he resides. He composes and produces his solo albums as well as music for Start-up’s, Apps and commercials, while his music continues to be regularly placed in major Hollywood Films and TV series. 2017 has also seen the release of his latest solo effort – the eleven track album “Sliding Roads”.
When Santino De La Tore left the studio, in his wake he left a face melting, mind blowing, jaw dropping audio extravaganza that cannot be ignored. Side effects could include euphoria, stimulation, and possible transportation to an outer body experience like no other. Santino De La Tore aka SDLT has penned 11 brutally powerful statements of intent that only advocate his status as a pop-rock craftsman of the highest order.
Right from the off with the album’s first track, ‘Smile’, it grabs you by the balls and just doesn’t let go. Soaring vocals, pounding rhythms, intriguing bass runs, sprawling guitars and tempering keyboards are like a blow to the head that you just don’t quite recover from.The overall theme of the album examines the succession of both good and bad experiences in relationships. Intrinsically there may be nothing new in this concept, but it is the presentation that impresses.
‘Anything Wrong’ beautifully compliments the album opener with its pulsating rhythmic qualities swallowing you up in its melodic layers and sumptuous vocals, it perfectly takes you on a journey through “Sliding Roads” that links you to ‘Every Single Day’ and its huge wall of sound, which unexpectedly forges SDLT’s almost endless vocal range which made me have a “what the f**k” moment! But again on “Stray Love” the rhythm is thick and fast pounding at your very core with every thump of that bass drum.
‘Come Back To Me’ resonates like a drum in an empty room with its chunky nucleus pounding out every note, just pulling you in more and more with every beat. SDLT flat out brings it on this mid-tempo song, and his vocals really shine along with the melody. “Crime” ticks all the right boxes as Santino’s impassioned phrasing provides a sharp contrast to the booming rhythm track.
His sudden vocal swoop into the hook announces that rock n’ roll still has a handful of voices worthy of note. And if that doesn’t do it for you, then “Love On The Edge” surely will. Heavy from the outset and dripping in quality, this track just forces you to rock your body to the core regardless of your surroundings.
‘Burning Desire’ funks you right out of your chair once again with dazzling vocals, an erotic bass line, and slumming percussion – this funky psychedelic ensemble is a thing of pure driving beauty. Finally we are given the opportunity to catch our breaths with the graceful melody of ‘Waiting For You’ a delicately delivered ballad for the most part, with extracts of powerful rock, and vocals that are simply magnetic.
‘Tell Me Please’ takes you down a similar road to that of the previous track , while the album closer, ‘Rebel’ goes for the jugular once again with a fast rock combo and before you know it, you’re reaching for repeat, repeat, repeat…
Santino De La Tore aka SDLT and his band sound utterly thrillingly and vital, and as the record progresses it’s impossible not to be overcome by a sense of awe at the way in which Santino so effortlessly personifies everything a rock vocalist should be.
He pumps each song full of adrenalin until it becomes soulful, majestic and, above it all, immensely exciting. “Sliding Roads” is simply one of the finest pop-rock albums of 2017, it has to be a contender for album of the year, beautifully cohesive, an unexpected package that strikes a chord on so many levels, it honestly is going to be hard to beat.
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