CHPLN

CHPLN are two cool dudes from Sarf London trading in the slinkiest of chilled-out electronica – or “multipop”, as the latest genre-defining neologism would have it. Their latest, ‘White Snow’, has the blogosphere (and Annie Mac) coming over all sub-zero for its miniscule electronic percussion, delicately-spun guitar washes, and enigmatically intimate declaration of “my love is all over the floor”. For a bonus point, eagle-eared listeners will spot a cheeky Lenny Kravitz / The Rebrandts lyrical mashup in one of the refrains.

It’s not entirely clear what this “multipop” business is all about – yes, there are shards of Cocteau Twins ambient and even euphoric house implicit in ‘White Snow’, but such is the coolly minimal production, few explicit comparisons can be drawn. Perhaps because of its relatively sparse nature, remixers have been having their way with it to excellent effect. Shy Luv, aka Laura Mvula remixer Karma Kid, adds a touch more drama to the original – just a touch, mind, but enough to bring it out onto a dancefloor warm-up session. But primarily, ‘White Snow’ is all about downtempo, minimalist details – something CHPLN are very good at indeed.

Words by Martin Sharman
Tipped by The Unsigned Guide