Six Umbrellas – Back to Work

Don’t let the title throw you off track. “Back to work” doesn’t mean “business as usual.” Rather, Six Umbrellas is getting to work here, giving its familiar sound a few upgrades. In this case: more beautiful melodies, more harmonic shifts, more positive vibes. All of this is set to a danceable tempo, perfect for kicking off the first open-air party of the year. But let’s take a closer listen.

The album opens with “Pulse Logic”—a rather dark, classic acid track, a nod to Daniel Avery’s early sound. But it’s just a red herring, a little twist, a detour to be worked through before moving on. Because by the time “Arrival” comes along, things get happier, sunnier, downright uplifting. The harmonies shift to major keys, beautiful melodies whisper in our ears, and if you don’t finally clean your windows to let the sun in, there’s no helping you. But what does “Back to work” mean? Is it a friendly invitation, a guide to self-motivation, or an ironic comment? We don’t know, and we’ll never find out. Yet the layers toward the end of the track are just that tiny bit too much of a good thing, reminding us that we simply can’t plow through 24/7.

“Dumpling Euphoria” slows the pace down a bit accordingly and serves as a transition to “Kid Dispute,” whose harmonies reminded me (FC Stoffel) a little of tango. Something that Thomas Bartz (the mastermind behind Six Umbrellas) claims he didn’t intend, but also doesn’t want to completely dismiss. That’s just what happens when you get to work and explore new harmonic realms. That inevitably leads us to tango. I’ll just go ahead to state that.

Discussing every track individually here would go out of hand, so let’s jump to “Medicine,” the eighth track, which essentially serves as a bracket for the album. Here, things get a little darker again, and there are once more those typical acid sounds. Six Umbrellas just can’t quite leave his musical upbringing behind after all. And we’re glad about that. Because some sounds are so deeply ingrained in our musical DNA that they still trigger an endorphin rush in us.

“That Easy,” the final track, takes things in a completely different direction. Mid-tempo, downbeat, a laid-back groove, and a distinctive vocal sample. Perfect for calming down. But it also serves as a reminder that, despite all the cheerfulness, harmony, and party vibes, not everything is always “That Easy.”

But let’s not read too much into the tracks and titles; let’s simply appreciate it for what it really is: a new, well-rounded, extremely successful album by Six Umbrellas. And proof that inspiration does eventually come when you pull yourself together and keep working on your art.

Tracklist:

• 1. Pulse Logic
• 2. Arrival
• 3. Back to Work
• 4. Dumpling Euphoria
• 5. Kid Dispute
• 6. Focus
• 7. Gin Tonic
• 8. Medicine
• 9. That Easy