Day/Night is Parcels’ second studio album, released in 2021 on the Because Music label. It follows their fantastic, eponymous debut 2018 release, setting the bar high… and did they deliver; where 2018’s Parcels allowed the Australian quintet to proclaim themselves as a leading collective in modern day disco through a traditional, 12-track, 50-minute album of straight bops and bangers, Day/Night was their progressive step forward. It takes on bigger themes through an inventive double LP, and explores new levels, layers, and worlds to incorporate into the group’s sound.
Naturally, with this being a double album, there is a lot more room to explore. Having already proven themselves through the likes of instant debut hits Tieduprightnow and Lightenup, and the brilliant Live Vol. 1, Parcels were confident and comfortable enough to take on such a challenge, and keep that momentum driving forwards. What else can you really do, after such an exciting debut?
Each of the two discs takes on one of the two themes – Day and Night. On the surface, this can be seen immediately, through the differing album covers, and names of tracks. Take, for example, openers LIGHT and SHADOW, daywalk and nightwalk, and outside and inside.
Dig a little deeper though, and you’ll notice even further comparisons and contrasts between the discs.
Day is funk-infused, guitar-chucking, bass-running disco and boogie bangers. Opening track LIGHT teases in with bright, synth noise, before transcending to showcase signature Parcels guitar riffs and vocal harmonies, then moving through a further seven bright, blissful bops – and an interlude for good measure.
Night takes a mellower approach, with plenty of tracks which slow down the pace and demonstrate a previously lesser seen side to Parcels. It starts similarly to its counterpart, with the string/synth-based SHADOW, yet this time, as expected, with a darker and more sombre undertone. Moving through the disc, a slower, more exposed approach is taken, intensifying further as we move through, all the way up to the closing tracks. Yet all this is done whilst still impressively retaining a brilliant boogie and disco feel, and remaining intrinsically in the Parcels pocket. Night showcases a different side to the group, and provides them the opportunity to implement completely cut back passages and massive buildups, particularly towards the final half of the disc. Featuring jazzy piano melodies, exposed vocal passages and flowing string sections, it’s a dynamic and refreshing change, and keeps the duration of Day/Night interesting and progressive.
Despite the creative shift and progression demonstrated by Day/Night, Parcels do brilliantly to retain the elements which make them and their previous releases so successful. The music is tight, funky, and played through with measured skill and inch-perfect precision. If you haven’t already, I’d highly recommend checking out their live sessions, such as the Live Vol. 1 or 2 albums, which are both available on streaming platforms, physical formats and YouTube. I’d implore you to watch the YouTube versions; it’s the best way to truly appreciate how connected, locked in, and in sync the five members who make up Parcels are, and this can be heard throughout Day/Night. It’s also a great opportunity to see what might have happened if George Harrison had taken to funk.
Parcels took a bold step with Day/Night. I’ve no doubt that if they’d have simply churned out 12 more singles, similarly to their debut, they’d have been met with success, and 12 more big hits to add to their setlist. However, by taking on an inventive and creative task such as exploring the themes of day and night, they demonstrate their ability to go that one step further, and prove themselves as more than just a phenomenally tight unit – which, by the way, they very much are.
Waxing Lyrical 