Ghostbeach - Blonde
More 80s worship, basically what everyone and their sister is doing right now. Not that I'm complaining. This album has some fantastic synthesizer grooves. Fun but forgettable.
Lo Fang - Blue Film
A slow burner for sure. Electronica with sampled instruments and lots of effects, tinkly Four Tet-esque noodling meets Dirty Projectors meets Weekend's cold, whiny fake sentimentality. Only a bit flat in delivery. However there are some genuinely excellent moments like the end to "Blue Film" and pretty much all of "Boris" and "#88." Still, there's not enough here to really draw me back again and again. The type of album you forget about fairly quickly.
Nothing - Guilty of Everything
Haven't listened to much of this yet, but so far I'm digging it. Can definitely hear the comparisons people make to Jesu. Big crushing sound but with a soft and dreamy side.
Sky Ferreira - Night Time, My Time
ZOMG a bewb! Controversy!
Like the above, I haven't listened to much of this yet. So far it seems like enjoyable but pretty run-of-the-mill electropop.
Trust - Joyland
Their first album, TRST, was one of my favorites from a 2012. These guys know how to write some brutally infectious pop, and they have a self deprecating sense of humor to boot. Perhaps the most striking feature of their music is the lead singer's voice which takes some getting used to, but once you do you wonder why more singers don't sound like that. Anyway, this is their second album and definitely a departure from the moodier TRST. This time 'round everything is brighter and bouncier and more cheerful, only in a somewhat manic and disturbed sort of way. Less speedball in a grimy bathroom, more ecstasy in... well, a grimy bathroom. The production quality of this album though is problematic. The vocals are too buried in the mix and the BOOM BOOM distorted bass is way too omnipresent. Though I have a feeling it's intentional as part of the album's aesthetic.
Not digging it nearly as much as TRST thus far, but "Capitol" is a pretty amazing track with its sense of buoyancy and some wonderful vocals.
