Saturday, 2 November 2024

Tycho "Infinite Health" (2024)

  

This release marks a significant return to form. Recapturing the blissful breezy magic once felt on Dive, Californian producer Tycho seems to of found his unique summery vibes again. After a string of mediocre records, exploring unfruitful directions, we return to the soothing chilled out Downtempo charms of his landmark debut.

Indie guitar tone licks and colorful exotic saw synths entangle within a gorgeous production. Instruments come lavished in glossy reverberations, swelling with the musics momentum. Gradual builds of feel good energy pivot into salient melodies. Simple, easy and effective, often infusing brief repetitious grooves in their cadence.

 The percussion is class. A fraction Drumstep in tone with Downtempo intensity and plenty of variety in instrumental tones, Its unafraid of lulls and winding down. Its involvement is dynamic, ebbing and flowing with the overall vision, ready to step into the big clap kick grooves to emphasis a songs main stride and momentum.

Most of the potent melodic magic takes place within these firm rhythmic sways. Colored guitar licks have a habit of striking through the dense dreamy electronics like a human voice. Chanting simple mantras by jostling a handful of notes, its rarely a complex affair and its simplicity revels in the aesthetic chemistry. Its cloudy atmospheric layers border Ethereal at times, always nurturing breezy, clam energy.

Infinite Health brings out the best of Tycho again. Unfortunately, it falls short in consistency. Between well built songs drift in milder tracks exploring interluding temperaments. These toned down arrangements tended to dull the momentum, lacking percussive drive and a sense of destination. Its best songs are a delight, so not all is lost! There is plenty of feel good warmth to be enjoyed here.

Rating: 6/10