Showing posts with label Electropop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Electropop. Show all posts

Tuesday 19 December 2023

Crosses "Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete." (2023)

 

I was drawn to this project by Chino Moreno of Deftones, the vocal half of this dynamic duo. Drawing inspirations, moods and textures from the likes of Dream Pop, Electro-Industrial and Gothic, Ethereal adjacent music, the pair attempt to carve a distinct niche. Crosses, however, seem inescapable of Moreno's instrumental chemistry. His harmonies relate to melody and rhythm with an all to familiar cadence.

Not intent on exploring new vocal territory, the best of the twos chemistry aligns in the same space Deftones' magic sparks from. The record's most striking tracks could be mistaken for Deftones remixes. Is this a complaint? Absolutely not, just a clear observation. One half of whats to enjoy is firmly rooted in a familiar setting, which Moreno executes with that typical alluring charm. His brilliance never seems to tire.

Crosses' other half, Shaun Lopez, brings character and distinction. Exploring the aforementioned genres' moods, he guides songs with bold, striking percussion. Modern in crisp intensity and rhythmically jolting, groove or bounce aren't words that comes to mind. Steady tempo and snappy aesthetics seem to be key motivators. Shuffling crisp, bold strikes, they land resolute on swift attack and minimal reverbs.

These drum lines come counteracted by melancholic melodic instruments, often virtual but housed in enough echo and reverb to paint ambiguities. The atmospheric touch leans towards soft and darkly shadows, breeding self-indulged emotion reflections. Often Ethereal in tone, they brood without catchy melodies. That falls to Moreno, who most often plays a role of light peaking through sombre clouds.

This chemistry varies track to track, almost all its ideas evoke loose relations to the broad spectrum of Post-Punk evolution in music. For all its explorations, this seems just shy of greatness. Invisible Hand, which plays like a Deftones' remix, sets a high ceiling the rest of the record doesn't live up to. When it comes close, its Moreno's mainstay I'm reminded of. EL-P turns up for a fantastic collaboration. I'm sure he had a hand in the tracks baseline. A cracking listen for fans of anything mentioned here.

Rating: 6/10

Sunday 3 December 2023

Poppy "Zig" (2023)

 

Still one to follow for her creative ensemble of pop sensibilities and abrasive tones, Poppy returns with a similar set of mashed up sounds. As a pleasant vocal presence, one is drawn to the lyrics. Lightly cryptic, suggestive and occasionally humored, they rarely yield depth when wrapped up in a hook or catchy cadence. Her direct words muster more meaning with plain language, however none of it amounted to anything memorable for me. At times, a sense of reaching for a mischievous truth emerges.

Either way, the record doesn't hit on this front and neither does its bass groove oriented stints of cold calculated Electronica. Trading in overdrive guitars for distorted synths, the instrumentals often converge on flickering rhythmic drives, lavished in dispassionate texture, lacking emotion and accompanying melody. On occasion, atmospheric synths layer in some compassion but without its a rather lifeless stint.

After the droning disharmony of Zig passes, Poppy's voice opens up, some songs focusing on her melodies. A pleasant direction but only Motorbike strikes a nerve. Its soft Disco Funk grooves elevate the hook and color the song with an interesting subtle sway. On a better record, this might have been felt as a weak cut. Loaded with mediocrity, Zig was sadly somewhat of a bore, doing little to make itself known.

Rating: 4/10

Friday 13 October 2023

Gunship "Unicorn" (2023)

 

Five years proved a worthy wait, Unicorn returns riding into a surreal synthetic sunset of its own design. Fully focused on fundamentals, the British duo Gunship fine tune their classy Synthwave sound, pulling no new strings and sticking to proven ideals. To achieve this, songwriting must reign supreme. That challenge is met with an impressive cast of musical genius. Returning unions with Tim Cappello and Carpenter Brut prevail again, alongside giants like John Carpenter and Dave Lombardo, once of Slayer. An impressive roster, who admittedly appear on the records stronger tracks.

Its catchiest hooks, the lyrically infectious cadences and tantalizing neon synth melodies, a fruitful yield of collaborative chemistry. A delight early on within its loaded roll out. Vocal variety proves a strength, former Fightstar band mate Charlie Simpson, one of the best fits among a talented cast. The band Health bring keen Prodigy flare to the fold and Power Glove seems the most subdued arrangement given there reputation for lively retro VGM inspirations. Ghost plays a sleepy lull between the energetic dance-floor thrusts of Weaponised Love and Darkness For Dreams.

 In this final stretch the record steadies into a soft groove, arriving with less flash in the pan. Focused on its lyrical manifestations of nostalgic imaginations, the lengthy hour traverses its final temperaments with moody indulgences and subdued flavors. The love of craft and care in handling these inspirations percolates its glossy aesthetic, bowing out with strides for anthemic heights that landed off a little to my ears. Unicorn is a brilliant return. Not a perfect record but seemingly the best of their three chapters.

Rating: 7/10

Monday 15 May 2023

VNV Nation "Electric Sun" (2023)

 

A five year gap between Noire and Electric Sun has elapsed, the largest among VNV's twelve records. Evidently a veteran of ones own identity, this re-emergence offers next to nothing new. Its steady stream of melancholic warmth resonates on familiar footing. Harris' soft fatherly voice words lyrics steeped in compassion, introspection and wisdom. The message of victory not vengeance persists, navigating humanist struggles and emotive pains through grandiose metaphors. An easily digested balance of darkly Club synthesizers and thumping Dance percussion whirls up energy. Slick Neo-classical instrumentation ushers itself in, fanning emotive flames with soothing pianos, completing a glossy aesthetic housing both softness and edge.

Its a bright, thoughtfully crafted execution of a familiar blueprint. Its glittery melodies, grand stings and pulsing dance floor drums are left dulled by their lack of surprise. Having acquainted with and grown fond of an unshaken sound so many moons ago, its left this listener with little to love beyond its pleasantries. Both aesthetic and thematically resolute, even Electric Sun's structure felt archetypal. The same rotation of gleaming astral interludes and a dark banger, Artifice, rolled out with familiar feeling. Its a fine record but perhaps not something I was in the mood for. I'm sure these songs would find themselves home on rotation in a VNV Nation playlist.

Rating : 5/10

Monday 24 April 2023

Janelle Monáe "Dirty Computer" (2018)

 

As the last of Janelle Monáe's offerings, Dirty Computer signifies a departure from its established android protagonist narrative. Where that theme evaporates, so does its 70s Psychedelic, Soul and R&B elements. In essence, an entirely different sound with Janelle operating on the level of an 80s Pop powerhouse front-woman affirming her stature. Intermingled with trendy tones of the times, its instrumental offerings ran a little weak for my taste. Many musical elements are striped to a mild resonance, energies muted, with a hyper focus on catchy hooks and empowered braggadocio.

It does however kick off with three decent numbers. Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys lends his iconic swooning vocal sways to the background of a tender, harmonious introduction. Gears then shift as a dazzling mix of modern production collides with echos 80s Synthpop. This luminosity fades as the lyrics become bold, overt and obvious. Substance is inherent but its musical chemistry rubs me the wrong way. From here the record leans hard into the Pop trends of the time. To my ears, all to dull.

In its final third, the gears shift once again. Brushing shoulders with great songs from nostalgic eras, the influences come obvious and stiff, failing to ignite. This stripped compositional approach sours here, leaving its songs instrumentally underwhelming. Janelle seems unable to spark the magic either. Little of the conjured greatness beforehand is present. Clearly a different vision, one I'm sore I didn't connect with.

Rating: 4/10

Sunday 5 March 2023

Gunship "Dark All Day" (2018)

 

With an enigmatic dystopian eclipse cover and suggestion of darker themes among its title, one might suspect a mood shift towards the more sinister Synthwave machinations of Carpenturn Brut. Alas, the opposite seems true, honing in on Synthpop influences a cheery narrative of uplift against struggle prevails, perhaps best exemplified on When You Grow Up, Your Heart Dies. Its christening bells add a resonant gloss of warmth to a spirited battle against the odds, with warm, fuzzy blurts of sentimental language to uplift spirits wedged into its telephone call interlude.

Dark All Day's atmosphere suits its presentation well. Many of the songs hold this ecliptic tension. Punchy bass synths, lined by meaty percussive grooves hold a mean edge against the soar of warm lead melodies and bright instruments acting as the light around this circular edge. Although Thrasher and The Drone Lacing League lean into nightly territory, its the melancholic warmth of its 80s influences that find dynamics to emerge as the narrative resolution. One of inspiration and uplift from hurt.

Stella Le Page and other effeminate voices featured compliment a stellar variety, breaking up the soaring calls of Alex Westaway who sings with a stride in his tenderness. More would have easily been welcome, their contrast a great dimension. Dark All Day is a rare record for me, where the voices really nail the instrumental theme, guiding the aforementioned tensions to a glistening resolution. They were a key component to solidifying these glossy soundtracks of nostalgic imagination. This one is definitely a shade better than their debut self titled Gunship.

Rating: 7/10

Wednesday 15 February 2023

Gunship "Gunship" (2015)

 

A gratifying sense of inspiration and class washes over with first impressions. Oozing out the gates with its glossy retro-aesthetic and twinkling melodic might intact, this British duo Gunship stands apart from other Synthwave projects. This is mostly due to its revolving cast of guest vocalists who fill a void the genre's instrumental approaches often leave unsatisfied. Performances conjure the 80s greats. Some more unabashed than others, Peter Gabriel seeming a keen influence. The stylings of Chino Moreno rears itself too. It makes perfect sense upon learning Charlie Simpson is on the record. Turns out, the aforementioned duo are his former band mates from Fightstar.

Behind some fine vocal performances, the pair find wondrous compositions of meaty bass synths churning pulsing grooves alongside competent percussion that leans into the cheesy synth toms of the era with an apt touch. Its a solid foundation, conjuring those nightlife neon-light highway speeding fantasies. Its forward synths crash in with dazzling flushes of tunefulness, overlapping and taking turns as atmospheric layers build cohesion. Sometimes, its care and attention to subtle details in the cracks. More often, the lead notations, carrying the 80s attitude, are its strongest focal point.

Either way, every song defines itself, leaning into the various Synth-Pop styles and song formats of the era. With straightforward structures, verse and choruses swoon with an easy persuasion one will be familiar with. The nostalgia tinted, glossy re-imagination of that decade is approached with such care, this debut Gunship simply turns out songs that last. Carpenter Brut seems a keen influence here, his presence co-insiding with my personal favorites, the chunkier, harder hitting songs of the record.

Rating: 7/10

Sunday 31 July 2022

Billie Eilish "Don't Smile At Me" (2017)


Ignorance leads to serendipity, as unbeknownst to me When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? was not Billie Eilish's debut. Furthering an excitable confusion, all the songs of this prior EP were already relatively well known, given the extensive air play and commercial application her music as received. Stripped of experimental leaning aesthetics yet to germinate, Don't Smile At Me serves as a slick, slender collection of Pop tracks. Its hard to nail down its attributes, as flashes of various genres pass by. The music mostly leans on Billie's presence and Finneas's keen percussion, which carries the pacing through its spurts of instrumentation.

Both his apt production and balanced compositions are fantastic. Simple, catchy and clean, they compliment Billie's vocal melodies and lyrics so well. The genius clearly runs in the family. Now listening further back into her youth, as a teenager, Billie's lyrics are so surprisingly self certain. Mostly musing her words on the matters of love and relationships, not only does her voice shape luminous feelings into infectious hooks, her sincerity strikes with maturity too. Her massive success is no surprise.

These humble origins are yet to establish a unique tone among the loose and cluttered genre of Pop music. Despite this, the bright, brimming talents of this sibling duo would be heresy to dismiss. Most mystical of all, their youth. Both musical and emotional maturity displayed seems a true rarity. So as of late these nine songs, including a brief feature from Vince Staples, have been on heavy rotation. The downside? This moment in time has surely passed, unlikely to be captured again.
 
Rating: 8/10

Wednesday 2 March 2022

Kero Kero Bonito "Bonito Generation" (2016)

Following their debut mixtape Intro Bonito, the London trio known as Kero Kero Bonito polish their sound for a sophomore effort that rides the curtails of their quirky warm persona. Bonito Generation doesn't stylistically evolve as much as its aesthetics are refined with a touch more welcoming tone. Stagnation seems prevalent, conjuring similar moods and feelings from their smiley place of simple thoughts and life's innocence. It doesn't pack quite the punch with surprise no longer being a factor.

That's not to say its a bad record but both the instrumentation and lyrical themes roll off lukewarm as the tracks are packaged into simpler song structures. Slower melodies, gentler percussion and a sense of safeness permeate. Bonito Generation is less adventurous, lacking creativity and sparkle. Thus Sarah's easy expressions of her college life tend to lull into a mediocrity. At its most off track, the band infuse casual communications and Japanese lyrics but its not the saving grace the music needs.

Trampoline is the records best track as the simplistic language and metaphor finds a space to feel a tad absurd when it revolves around the jumping mat. The song has a little more of a club vibe with its colorful synths and tight percussion, something one or two other tracks do but its not enough to give the record edge. This one really hides in the shadow of its predecessor, somewhat of an autopilot experience. Its competent, enjoyable but lacks the dazzle of Intro Bonito.

Rating: 5/10

Wednesday 9 February 2022

Aurora "The Gods We Can Touch" (2022)

 

For the last two and a half weeks I've been rather engrossed In Aurora's latest offering. Its a warm invitation into a keen world of bright enduring melodies and fantastical sincere singing. Forged with a little folkish charm, it remains grounded and authentic. Once again Aksnes's voice carries a tune so powerfully, illuminating the already glowing notation of her well crafted backing instrumentals. Much of the music rests on a subtler moody sombre side, with these periodic bold strides into Electropop territory, stirring an excitement she remedies with words sung sublimely.

Picking apart the particulars of ones voice is a service words can't quite achieve but she has swiftly become one of my all time favorites. On this outing the performance expands with lyrical themes becoming more personal and intimate than I recall before. A handful of songs feel rather direct and vulnerable, an insight to personal struggles. Its endearing, bringing more humanity and passion to the music, less lofty in concept and theme. Not a sole focus, it arrives in balance with ideas more common for her.

The album has a great sense of flow, many moments of Ethereal calm seem to intersperse the jovial strides, as perky melodies played on pianos, strings and all between ride the surges of energy that arise. The compositions are expertly crafted with percussion guiding the songs through organic calms to then give its main moments more punch. Production is wonderful too, everything feels snugly fit in with reverberations perfectly measured to give the music depth and resonance.

 At fifteen minutes, things do fizzle out. A handful of the last few songs feel underwhelming in comparison. Its final song, A Little Place Called The Moon, has an experimental temperament. Aurora makes it work but the end result seems so different from anything before it. Its a hazy passage that seems the record off on a ghostly note. The Gods We Can Touch isn't perfect but I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here and its packed with some new favorites to return to on occasion!

Rating: 8/10

Monday 2 August 2021

Billie Eilish "Happier Than Ever" (2021)


Just a reminder, Billie is still a teenager. This is remarkable within the context of a wonderfully mature and wise record that sees the young star navigate fame and fortune with a rarefied grace. Her lyrics here are a treasure to embrace. I hope she can continue in this well handled direction, were too many that have come before end up ravished by the spotlight, media and unfair pressures of fame. For two siblings making quirky music together from their bedroom, to then be catapulted to the peak of stardom, this is quite the force to reckon with. The music too moves with this mature navigation of choppy waters. Stripping back youthful experiments with noise and ASMR, the ship is now steered in a direction reminiscent of many classic singer songwriters that glowed in the spotlight of decades forgotten to this generation.

Billie's voice has flourished from intimate wordings and quirky whispers to classy undressings of emotion through power and strength. Vulnerable, yet in control and laying all bare to be heard by those who listen. Having frequently been at the attention of a news cycle set on critiquing her presentation of self, the topics of the record get wrapped up in a critical awareness of this pressure which she replies to with unshakeable truth through reason. For young people growing up, these messages are so on point. The mesmerizing transient drone of Not My Responsibility sets an intense focus for Billie to talk truth of all the commentary on her clothes, appearance and sexuality, illuminating that the problem lies with those who choose to speculate and judge themselves.

Getting Older and My Future deliver such a charming maturity and positivity from a young person navigating the waves. "Cause I'm in love with my future, can't wait to meet her", wonderful lyrics, its so nice to hear warm outlook on ones life and aging. The classic taste of airy reverberated synths, soft inviting pianos, gentle guitar strumming and crafty grooving baselines somehow nestle sweetly between their "traditional" sound with tracks like Oxytocin, I Didn't Change My Number and Overheated, these songs being more rooted in the style that defined her breakout.

Billie may take the spotlight but Finneas deserves much praise for masterfully expanded the albums pallet to sound as if a group of top session musicians had been brought in to gloss up the electronic aesthetic of his When We Fall Asleep Where We Go instrumentation. The record navigates both ends of the spectrum and all in between as its run time offers up a fair helping of variety. Billie too overlaps her playful whisperings and glowing traditional singing to keep things healthily interesting. Their chemistry is sublime, offering up an engrossing engagement from subdued instrumentals that embrace sparsity and slow tempos to give keen power to the minimal melodies and aesthetics left to be heard. Most the instruments arrive soft, ambient and incidentally with flourishes of energy coming from snappy percussion forging interesting grooves.

With every listen I've felt a fizzle in the end starting at NDA, a quite remarkable lyrical tale and musing that doesn't seem to hit the stride instrumentally, the bite of the words just don't resonate for some unknown reason. It tempo shifts up at the end, transitioning into Therefore I Am, which quite honestly felt all too much like a rehash the debut records vibe. Then the title track, gets off to a wonderful start but suffers growing pains agressing up into a sing along grunge blowout that lacked the right melody or lyric to give it the vibe it clearly strides for. No album is perfect and not every track resonates quite like some of Billie's words which are as stated, quite remarkable for the pitfalls she is successfully navigating.

Your Power makes a personal favorite for me. With a soft gush of Ethereal wind, the two usher in a heartwarming guitar and voice song reminiscent of Mazzy Star. Its lyrical content feels intentionally offset from the melancholy vibes the song ushers forth. I doubt Happier Than Ever will have quite the impact its predecessor had however between the two we simply have more fantastic songs to enjoy and plenty more to look forward too it seems. The one thing I hope people take away from this one is the lyrics. So much to be learned from someone else's experience here.

Rating: 8/10

Sunday 20 June 2021

Lycia "Casa Luna" (2021)

 

In my initial exploration of Darkwave and Etheral music I discovered Cold, a striking record luring me into a world of music I now adore. Thirty three years strong as a band, there recent outings A Line That Connects and In Flickers had been fun listens with a couple of memorable songs but this new EP has a powerful breath of fresh air. Some how, these tracks leap out at me, with each one presenting some sort of angle, perhaps adjacent to an influence or idea. It makes sense that they come in this packaging with such variety and a stiff sense of flow. It feels experimental but the more I listened, the more I loved how it moves, held together by aesthetic and voice as its bold pallet of moods tilt from one direction to the next.

On The Messanine, Salt & Blood are these slow and dreary journeys through haunted dreams, beautiful yet wrapped in a sorrow. It fondly reminded me of Autumns Grey Solace but even more so the opening A Quiet Way To Go. Tara Vanflower's wordless voicings sound so much like Erin, with the bleak guitars behind her luring in that familiar Ethereal feeling. Its Mike Vanportfleet who ushers in the pivot as he softly whispers the songs name and it blossoms with color and resonance. The guitar chord that turns the corner is luscious and stellar. Its acoustic tone is sublime. The tracks structure alternates back and forth a couple of times and that is all it needs.

Do You Bleed is one meaty grinder of a track, its percussion hammers out strikess of distortion in its industrious menace as rumblings of dirty bass pound away below. Its ugly guitars birth a wicked sense of atmosphere and Vanflower watches over it all with a touch of venom in her voice as she commands suffering. Reminded me of Punisher & Author's take on Industrial. Where this one reached low the following Except glides on a high with a graceful atmosphere and warm strings a poppy melody propelled by its mechanical drum machine. Its opening synth jive strongly reminded me of something but as the song grows that tends to fade. I think its initial influence would be something to the likes of Gary Numan or the Tubeway Army.

Lastly Galatea is quite the upbeat, pop track with a more modern feel too. It weaves its chirpy melody into the Ethereal unraveling of its airy synths and Vanportfleet's gothic and pained voice as he sings soft words into the reverb with a ghostly incarnation. I'm not sure if these songs were particularly special or if this just scratched an itch but I found myself captivated by the albums better numbers. These songs just felt so vivid and full of identity. A great little record!

Rating: 6/10

Friday 22 May 2020

The Weeknd "After Hours" (2020)


When a name crops up frequently in mainstream culture its often a red flag for me, however a readers recommendation had me curious. Being introduced to the heavily 80s inspired Synthwave leaning tracks first, I picked up this new release a bit too hastily. As my first record with the Canadian artist, the popular appeal is obvious. Ice chilled vibes, smooth glossy production and silky singing makes for easy listening.

After Hours hinges heavily on 80s Synthpop and classic R&B, fusing them with modern production tones to create an almost spacey night life drive under neon lights. Beats are postulated with the pace, craft and groove of that era. Its liquid synths ooze dense atmospheres into life. Even the songwriting and melodies mirror its nostalgic inspiration with similar structures, tropes and arrangements. The track In Your Eye's exemplifies this with its classy and almost cheesy Saxaphone solos.

I can tolerate and enjoy these tracks immensely. Where the record losses me is its sways into laid back R&B. Abel deploys his voice with a high pitched softness that just rubs me wrong. Its all to vulnerable yet self assured for me to extract anything of value from the overtly care free lyricism. Its only about half the runtime that dives into this avenue of unwound indulgence but I struggle with it. Not my cup of tea i guess!

For the side I did enjoy, the lack of originality beyond a keen reassembling of ideas heard from decades gone by made the experience a little shallow. One can appreciate the gorgeous atmosphere and slick warmness of the music but its lacking in musical surprises given how closely it sticks to classic pop tropes. The production is a marvel and his voice a seductive one, in the right refrain of course. Its been an enjoyable bunch of spins but I personally don't buy into the hype on this record.

Favorite Tracks: Blinding Lights, In Your Eyes, Save Your Tears
Rating: 5/10

Monday 18 May 2020

Austra "Hirudin" (2020)


After a steady decline from their debut Feel It Break, Austra return with their fourth effort, Hirdudin. Its a resurgence of inspiration spearheaded by heartbroken pains that ripple through the warm mix of soft pianos and electronic instruments tinged in melancholy. As they do, simple song structures and short looping melodies create a glossy and modern, yet 80s Synthpop inspired setting for Stelmanis to flex her remarkable voice, becoming the beacon that makes it all work. Its opening songs remark on this stasis of hurt, after going through a brutal parting. The juxtaposition with playful, uplifting melodies is entrancing as her words walk a dark path.

 Growing past its powerful opening, the album plays with some sparse instrumentals to emphasize the power of Katie's stunning vibrato, almost robotic and inhuman at times, mesmerizer! On the track Risk It she again surprises with chipmunk high pitched singing thats surprisingly catchy, fun and not annoying. The mid-tempo dance groove below livens up the mood and after a couple more songs Mountain Baby is another ear catcher with its stiff yet charming nursery piano melody leading the tone. Not doubt this inclination is played up by the choir of kids singing sweetly in the intro.

On the very first play few I knew the album had come to an end with the arrival of Messiah. It reminded me of The Beast, a very powerful closing song from their debut. The piano and Katie's singing build up this oozing suspense that gets suspended and dissipated as the chords hammer away as airy reverberations and subtle cosmic synths sweep it all up and away. A stunning finale to a reasonable record that's far from perfect but has plenty of emotional out-pour to be embraced.

Rating: 7/10
Favorite Tracks: Anywayz, All I Wanted, How Did You Know, Mountain Baby, Messiah

Sunday 12 April 2020

Grimes "Visions" (2016)


I've been fortunate, finding a pathway in that has worked. Art Angels was a sublime introduction to the imaginary world of Grimes. Understanding her playful voice, this record was immediately fun and spirited, however with that familiarity It may have not clicked so swiftly. With less of the structural evolution of her music to come, Visions plays more like a collection of musical experiments toying with aesthetics, both vocal and with an array of instruments. Its tone is typically dreamy, indulgent and the mood? Mildly ambiguous as its many shades occupy beautiful spaces open to the listeners interpretation. Its a joyous exercise in musical creativity crawling into many niches.

More commonly using her vocal chords as the atmospheric device, lavishing of excessive reverb and manipulations build the music up. Droning loops of electronic dance percussion hold up a tempo and framework for synths and melodies to chime in. The variety on display often ushers in this strange unease in disparity of tone between instruments. It really plays up an experimental vibe of a young musician toying with tones and embracing the chemistry that emerges. Oblivion is a keen example, its pianos, stabs and jolting, buzzing bass synth melody have a strange cohesion thats peaked by the arrival of bizarre synthetic choir voicing.

Its all lighthearted, a girl in her bedroom experimenting with sound and embracing the magic. What is most brilliant however, is her voice holding it all together like glue. She guides you to the genius with this embellished presence as it plays out. The most note able influence may be Synthpop and classic electro even reminiscent of Kraftwerk given the boldness of these synthesized melodies that are central throughout. Its been a pleasure that keeps giving. No particular highs or lows, it occupies the listening with a warmness devoid of flash or flair, a rather consistent and fun experience.

Favorite Tracks: Eight, Nightmusic
Rating: 8/10

Sunday 29 March 2020

Grimes "Miss Anthropocene" (2020)


With a substantial five year gap, Canadian singer & songwriter Grimes follows up her alarmingly bright and uplifting Art Angels with a project similar in tone yet gleamed by compositions that adventure deeper into darker imaginations. With many breaks for her defined artsy Pop pleasers, the gaps between delve into avant-garde themes with esoteric dexterity. They arrive with an enjoyable regularity. Last time around just a fraction of the music explored these stretches of creativity. With much of the songs residing comparatively in the sweet spot of appealing fuzzy feelings of goodness.

The slow and sleepy awakening of its opening track lingers in Ethereal shadows, setting a sombre tone for darkness to come. Darkseld slides into the dystopian as Grimes rapidly spurts her alien words over the droning thud of a descending and rigidly monotonous baseline. Its hypnotic, the chemistry is ripe. Violence lingers in an ambiguity between moods as its Downtempo drum groove marches the dreamy track onward. 4AM takes the biscuit as its unassuming intro of meandering high pitched singing paves a diversion for a party synth and Drumstep beat to propel the music to another planet. Brilliant! as is much of the layering vocals and reverb abuse to come.

The tracks around these significant moments don't come with as much flair and cavalier but have held up well over my many listens through this record. Its doesn't pack the same punch and might disappoint some but I thing the less obvious tracks have depth. Grime's lyrics and compositional experimenting stand strong and paint slow begrudging atmospheres with a lot of beauty emanating. The slower tempos tend not to grab attention in the same way, yet as an album of subtleties, its full of them. A really great record with plenty to come back too. Its got me looking forward to more!

Favorite Tracks: Darkseld, Violence, 4AM, My Name Is Dark
Rating: 8/10

Monday 2 March 2020

Grimes "Art Angels" (2015)


Wildly individual yet accommodatingly familiar, Canadian singer and composer Grimes has blown me away with this critically acclaimed record I'm just catching up to. It was her appearance on the Mindscape podcast that prompted me to finally get around a name I've been hearing over and over this past decade. Definitively self-taught and devilishly expressive, her music in this instance is a free formed tapestry of creativity, musical ideas colliding yet landing with grace. Everything eccentric, experimental and fun works its way into the cracks of commonality. Given its her forth album, it might have been a journey to arrive at this exceptional moment. Something I'll learn soon.

Opening with a couple mysterious machinations of obscurities, best exemplified on the jaunting Scream, Art Angels drops into swooning currents of uplifting Dream Pop, rolling out cheerful, chirpy and artistic pop songs one after the other. With a unique flavor, she unexpectedly rolls out experimental and otherwise unusual constructs, often percussive, that gel effortlessly. Occasionally Ethereal, often grooving, the music's sea of influences swell in the later half with these Club music temperaments of Dance and Rave propelling this mesmerizing and indulgent atmosphere.

Grimes brings in her sometimes childish, playful and innocent voice that transforms to a mature and spirited swoon, ascending to a heavenly dimension as she soars with a freedom in the crescendos. Cruising through the clouds and leaving all earthly weight behind, she births many an entrancing passage when reaching to the peaks of her singing. Its in these climatic moments you'll forget everything. Its liberating.

My journey into the record was interesting in retrospect. What just seemed like good and cheery music in the beginning steadily indulged with familiarity and blossomed into a wonderful experience that I can't get enough of. I'm so impressed by the individuality of Grimes, in her compositions and singing she can be so welcoming and warm in tone it almost masks the beautiful and intricate world of her music that you end up trapped inside of. All to easy to hear it as generic but with a closer ear you'll get locked inside her imaginative realm, never wanting to leave.

Favorite Tracks: Scream, Flesh Without Blood, Artangels, World Princess Part II, Venus Fly, Buttefly
Rating: 9/10

Tuesday 18 February 2020

Poppy "I Disagree" (2020)


The only time I'd heard of American singer Poppy beforehand was in the middle of some good old "he said, she said" internet drama. The story goes that her image is modeled around her producer and collaborator's previous artist, causing creative identity controversy. Ditching the former musical partner, she's brought a new team to this record, taking an experimental stride to brush with the twisted aesthetics of Extreme Metal in a whirlwind of styles stretching from buttery Pop and lush Electronic, to the boom and bounce of Nu Metal with a little Industrial grit. I was turned onto this new release by friends but Ive got to be critical, its all a bit too contrived for my taste.

I Disagree's strenuous diversity and flashy eclecticism feels like a shallow facade as just about every pallet presented keenly remind me of other artists, styles and aesthetics heard before. This lack of originality is thrust forth by the stitched nature of its musical progressions. Sudden shifts, jolts and turns in momentum feel hollow as the music pivots from dreamy singing and sunny synths to dirty Djent guitars and hammering drums with little meaning. It leaves the song writing in an awkward place where its intent feels at the mercy of a failed attempt to be audacious and daring.

It's not all bad however. The various musical pallets play well, textures and aesthetics sound gorgeous from start to end, there just isn't any cohesion. Poppy sounds at her soft and effeminate best in the dreamy pop sections as pivots to extremities often suck away the mood in favor of nonsensical aggression. The lyrics too are a bit all over the place. J-Pop influences play out with a quirky manor that falls flat on me. "Bite your own teeth" and other lines fail to offer substance. I think Anything Like Me talks to the drama addressed above and with that some meaning and depth is found but its lacking elsewhere, another dimension that falls short.

For the most part each listen flys by. Its entertaining but with little digging in deep or getting stuck in the mind. It does however end on a fantastic high note as Sick Of The Sun actually sticks to one idea for the whole track, playing out a strange summery vibe that's slightly esoteric and ethereal. It almost feels like a two part epic as an acoustic plucked guitar akin to Metallica's Call Of The Cthulhu or Ozzy's Killer Of Giants brings us into a second phase. This then finds the album's best metallic riffs as giant meaty notes parade with mountainous stature, leading into dazzling guitar solos. Its fantastic song writing on an album that's sorely missing it for all the tracks leading to this ending. A great bow out but also the only two songs to take away from it all.

Favorite Tracks: Sick Of The Sun, Don't Go Outside
Rating: 5/10

Monday 10 February 2020

Bring Me The Horizon "Music To Listen To…" (2019)


Having announced a planned departure from the album format, the Sheffield outfit Bring Me The Horizon swiftly follow up on Amo within the same calendar year. It is their first EP, a format which they've announced will be the new norm and surprisingly its the groups lengthiest release to date clocking in at seventy five minutes. Its no serious affair, the eight tracks stack up the run time with two ten minute songs and another at twenty four mostly consisting of a glitched vocal snippet on loop with some accompanying rambling dialog. Its an experimental piece, unstructured output paired with a ridiculously long record title. Its song names too tend to steer to the obscure.

What's obvious on first listen is the lack of format, a lifting of restraints. Music To Listen To... plays more like a collection of jams and experiments from the studio, perhaps a window into the process before the real writing takes place. Mostly devoid of its metallic component, the groups influences from Electronic music and Ambient play out in experimental fashion, showcasing the more eclectic taste as musicians. A Devastating Liberation is simply the backing track to Why You Gotta Kick Me When I'm Down. How the two came together would be a fascinating learn. It holds up well as a dark, foreboding electronic, symphonic hybrid of monstrous magnitude.

The songs mainly showcase a variety of shades from the massive web of styles that is Electronic music. For the most part it plays well, in a laid back relaxed context. There is little in the way of direction that feels expressive or envisioned. It is mostly a mood, tone or temperament that is established and then droned out at length. Snippets, moments and textures shine like elements of the bands normal dense tone, however they are simply laid bare on their own. Its an interesting insight to the bands process and creativity but as a record it makes sense to not call this an album. I've mostly enjoyed each listen but with that lack of structure, much of the music just floats in the present, making little impact or birthing ear worms for the subconscious afterthought.

Favorite Track: A Devastating Liberation
Rating: 5/10

Monday 20 January 2020

Aurora "A Different Kind Of Human (Step 2)" (2019)


Now on my fourth Aurora record, either the familiarity is diminishing her charm or something is off. I think it may be the latter. Baring little overt relation to Step 1 other than aesthetics, this full length follow up to the EP just doesn't illuminate the stunning charm of her singing in the same way. Firstly the tone seems to of shifted. The River kicks the record off with bright, punchy, jovial synths that expand and contract, flowing with glossy melodies that shuffle along the strong Electropop vibe. Its a step away from the subtitles of the past and Aurora's voice just feels crowded in these moments.

The album grows with a range of song temperaments, some quieter than others and her voice is given plenty of focus to shine but it doesn't come together with the same magic. The instrumentals seem too energized, overplaying their role. Her range continually goes towards its strongest, lacking a vulnerability and sensitivity that previously blossomed into the moving moments. The cultural Nordic echos feel distant too and many of her vocal constructs we might refer to as the hook just don't land with the same engrossing nature. There is variety and creativity, just not at that level again.

It might seem like I am splitting hairs but its a knifes edge this style is balanced on. Going back to any of the past records I get all the feels but from this one? Not so much. Dwelling on the differences can easily overshadow what a great record this is though. Its delightfully easy on the ears and engrossing with its swells of colorful electronics and tribal percussion. Her voice is still a delight and the songs are warming to the soul but that soaring above and beyond isn't present, leading me to mostly focus on that as the record is clearly a step back. I am hoping she can steer things in a challenging direction moving forward as this one was a little to routine.

Favorite Track: Apple Tree
Rating: 6/10