I’ve been sitting on this one for a little while, as anything Christmas related before December is literally too much Christmas. Yet still, Trickster has created something so vibe on this mash-up of Silent Night and Santa Claus Is Coming To Town that I was compelled to sneak it into my Christmas stocking for later.
Trickster is an Austrian-born, England-resident musician whose life story has taken in entanglement with the law, a prison sentence related to ‘financial missteps’, a period as a pilot and soldier, and charity work. Now he turns his focus to music and here, in particular, to the Christmas season.
This new video brings together a combination of tracks that were recorded in London at the legendary studios Angel and RAK, before being mixed at (even more legendary) Abbey Road. The joyous video that accompanies the song was recorded at Pinewood Studios, home of James Bond (you picking up the vibe here now?). It features a combination of musicians and dancers taking inspiration from the aesthetic of a New Orleans Christmas party.
What stood out for me on this track, aside from just the amount of fun everyone is having in the video, is how Trickster embodies these two holiday standards with a level of sheer class. There is enough that is different here to transcend the formula — Trickster is not simply channeling Bing Crosby, as has become common place. Instead, the Big Band foundations here are embellished with extra touches of swing, brass crescendos and a string section that introduces a melodic counterpoint to the principal instrumentation. At the same time, Trickster keeps things conventional enough to make this universally appealing, with a sound that could convincingly date back to the 50s, albeit with impeccable production.
Speaking of production, duties here were handled by Richard Flack, who has worked with both Joe Strummer and Florence and the Machine, and Trickster himself. Look out for a full-length debut album from Trickster in 2024.