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Patrick Cowley, I'm learning, is one of the more unsung musical figures in the history of the LGBTQ+ community. He is widely credited as the pioneer of Hi-NRG, an uptempo branch of disco that was directly informed by the electric, euphoric environments of gay clubs and bathhouses. In addition to producing his own solo material that soundtracked many a hot, sweaty evening in San Francisco, Cowley's synthesizer expertise was heavily sought after by disco artists looking to amp things up a notch. Most notably, his collaborations with the legendary, androgynous singer Sylvester yielded massive success on the dance charts, and his entrancing sixteen-minute remix of Donna Summer's I Feel Love has become a highly coveted piece from the era. Cowley's contributions to synthesized music would later be cited as a core influence by the likes of New Order and Pet Shop Boys. Furthermore, connections can easily be made to the sounds of electronic dance music that would dominate the 1980s and 1990s. Despite the imprint he left, however, Cowley never developed into a household name, even within the gay community. This lack of recognition could be a result of his brief timeline; Patrick Cowley would sadly succumb to AIDS-related complications in 1982. He was only 32.
Three years prior to his passing, Cowley received an unconventional proposal. John Coletti, the owner of the gay pornographic production company Fox Studio, approached Cowley about potentially scoring some of his upcoming films. In response, Cowley supplied Coletti with a collection of his earlier, unreleased instrumental recordings. These tracks would ultimately be used to score two classic films: School Daze and Muscle Up. For decades, this music only lived on grainy, X-rated VHS tapes, until it became a point of interest for San Francisco-based archival label Dark Entries. Dedicated to preservation, the label began unearthing the original sources with the hope of reintroducing Cowley to the world. Which brings us to Afternooners, the third and final compilation that contains the rest of the material submitted to Fox Studio alongside some of the final recordings Cowley made before his untimely death.
When people picture the soundtrack to a vintage adult film, the mind inevitably drifts toward campy, unseasoned funk jams whipped up with cheap instruments and generic stock sounds. Listening to Afternooners, however, immediately breaks that stereotype. Cowley's work is actually quite sophisticated, exhibiting the level of meticulous craftsmanship you would expect from a serious artist. Rather than relying on lazy grooves, the percussion here is intricately assembled, frequently utilizing dynamic tom fills and crisp, tuned cowbells. The basslines are incredibly rich and full, routinely treated with a healthy amount of modulation, adding even more fluid motion within grooves that are already intoxicating. For the top lines, Cowley gravitates towards synth pads that possess a euphoric, radiant sizzle, and prominently uses delay effects to bounce simple strings of notes off one another, creating complex, interlocking melodic patterns.
Even with this limited toolkit, Cowley is surprisingly able to squeeze a lot of variety out of it. Tracks like Surfside Sex and Cycle Tuff lock directly into that signature Hi-NRG urgency given their elevated tempos. These ones are perhaps the most stereotypically campy tracks, yet they are quite infectious open invitations to the dancefloor. In stark contrast, cuts like The Runner and Bore and Stroke are slower, moodier, and deeply meditative. These arrangements are designed to completely eliminate thought and have you surrender to a sensually hypnotic rhythm. On Hot Beach and Love Come Set Me Free, the atmosphere shifts to a sunny, playful disposition. The bright, breezy melodies conjure vivid imagery of lounging poolside in the afternoon heat, casually eyeing up a potential fling. Hot Beach in particular is one of my favourite highlights with its unique drum groove propelled by triplet tom rolls that hang for a moment to allow crescendoing synth chords to rise up.
Most surprisingly, Cowley isn't afraid to let things get downright weird. Big Shot is punctuated by grinding sci-fi synth textures, while an interesting moment towards the end of Jungle Orchids highlights these popcorn-like raindrop sounds. Not every experiment passes with flying colours though, like on One Hot Afternoon for example. Synth melodies performed in an improvised manner are treated with repeated delays that cause some awkward note choices to clash rather unharmoniously. It is perhaps the only time where you feel conspicuously outside of the experience.
What makes Afternooners a truly worthwhile collection is how easily the music outgrows its original purpose. While these tracks are specifically tied to salacious intent, you don't need to be 'in the mood' to appreciate them. Cowley clearly knows how to create an atmosphere that has the power to quiet the anxieties of modern life, shifting your mind toward a more base, carefree, and liberating state of being. Thanks to Dark Entries, his music is no longer relegated to the obscure, erotic confines it was once kept. It can now stand alone as fun, beautifully playful, vivid electronic art.