Secret Agent Gel – Stay Up Late

By Jordan Moussavi

As the last of an unusually turbulent summer drifts to a gradual close, it seems like the appetite for what remains is still raging. What luck, that we have Secret Agent Gel to help us eke out the last of the season’s romance.

“Stay Up Late” is both gentle and sultry in mood, which helps match the feelings stirred by the sunshine months. Honeyed vocals glide over delicately arranged percussion, which makes inventive use of tuned drums and what sounds like the scraping of cutlery, to create a paired back groove that loses none of its cool or charm. There is a sensual, longing feel that pervades throughout, which carries the flowy charm of classic tracks like Herbert’s ‘Middle’. Sexy saxophones charm their way to the front of the queue and don’t overstay their welcome, which is a tricky balancing act to perform when dealing with such a distinct instrument in such a carefully balanced mix.

And that really is the prevailing feeling after unashamedly listening to “Stay Up Late” several times in a row—an elegant cool that confidently sprawls into the embers of longing. I feel sexier for just having listened to it and, if that isn’t a glowing enough recommendation for you, music like this probably wouldn’t be your thing anyway.

Durkle Disco’s latest addition is a beautifully composed track with nods to funky and amapiano influences throughout.

Secret Agent Gel and Esther Denis might have just dropped one of the sexiest funky tracks of the summer. It was about time we got something going this year.

Posted on August 21, 2023