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Dark Compass

Unusually for me, I want to head off this review by saying that this is an incredible collection of music. That being said, it's kind of a hard one to break down on a track-by-track basis. The music is very vocal-centric, with various electronic accompaniment. It's kind of choral and at times orchestral. Many of the tracks have a fragile beauty to them, but some are much more confident, like "Life Selection Room", where there is a thrum, an unrelenting drive forward.
 
It's in the more delicate moments that the music really speaks to me. You can't help but want to close your eyes and just let the music wash over you. It's like a cleanse by music. "Elders", for instance, has that magical repetition, wave after wave of absolutely beautiful, ethereal vocals. It's drone-like, but because they are vocals, it feels much more human, much more personal.
 
Some songs have a more musical feel, like "Boy Faced Boy". There's still that drone-like quality, and it's still predominantly vocals, but they're laid down almost like a musical score, resulting in a track that is vibrant and melodic.
 
I'm not a musician at all, but with "Second Nature" I could follow the chord progression in real time in my head, pretty much knowing what was coming. I'm not sure if it's following some kind of known musical progression, or if it's just something I was particularly attuned to, but there was a strange reassurance in the music.
 
If I'm going to pick out one track that didn't resonate, it was "Baby Creatures". I'm sorry, but I don't think that's ever going to be a track that sits right with me. It's odd, strange and a little annoying. I'm honestly wondering if it feels almost like a statement of sorts.
 
The final track is "From Me to We", and it pretty much closes the album as it started, with pure vocals and a stark beauty that is just amazing.
 
There are twelve songs on the album, and while they all share common traits, they are all individual and unique. That means some will resonate more strongly than others, depending on what you get out of this style of music. For me, the basic drone style is hypnotic and calming. The more melodic and ethereal side features the tracks I want to play on their own, over and over again.
 
For those that get this genre of music, you will just get it. For others, I think there will be a few tracks on here that will sit with you and perhaps open up your musical horizons.

Universal Language

Soul and jazz are not my usual staples, but sometimes I hear something and it just speaks to me, regardless of the pigeonhole it's put in.
 
I have to admit my curiosity got the better of me, so I had to find out what Makossa meant and, apparently, it's a style of music from Cameroon. Here, it's fused with a seductive blend of disco grooves and psychedelic soul, resulting in something that compels you to move.
 
The EP opens with "Feel The High Life" and it's the drums that greet you, working their way under your skin. Starting with a very jazzy feel, they then become somewhat more laid back. The African sensibilities are evident in the drums and vocals, which have a very soulful feel. The jazz influences are there too, but on this track they're very subtle. The beat is very repetitive, giving it that wonderful, mesmeric feel.
 
Again, jazz-style drums provide the intro on "Shake Down", but the bongos are also partners in crime, as indeed is the bass, further reinforcing the driving beat. Eventually, the guitars come in, giving it a much trippier feel. I couldn't help but feel, though, that the vocals were something of a distraction, preventing me from getting completely lost in the music, which is so good.
 
More amazing drum work opens "Number One", which is something I could listen to in isolation for a long while. I just can't seem to get past the vocals, I'm more compelled by the music and therefore see the vocals as a distraction. But the music is just so good. It has that 70s feel, which brings back memories of old 70s cop shows.
 
There's a long build-up to the vocals on "Every Body", and they're a little more subdued, which made them a little less jarring. But it's still the music that you can't help but get swept up in. There's also some nice sax and trumpet work towards the end of the track, and even a little flute to close things out.
 
I keep getting hints of something else in "Fire in the Disco". It has a very 70s feel, but it's the combination of that high electronic sound and the vocals that brings an enormous sense of déjà vu, but I just can't put my finger on what it is. Again, the flute is a nice addition to the track.
 
The final track, "Afro-Disco Makossa", has a distinctly different vibe from the rest of the EP. That same hypnotic beat is there, but it has a slightly different feel, bringing things to a close without losing that infectious rhythm.
 
I wanted to really love this EP, and while there's a lot that I really like, I think for me the vocals are too much of an distraction. Again, there's nothing inherently wrong with them, but given that this isn't usually my kind of music, I think they get in the way of what I'd really like to get out of the EP and that's something to get lost in. The music is so compelling that I find myself wanting to disappear into it, and, for me, the vocals ultimately make that difficult.
 
Perhaps that's an unfair criticism, because the vocals are clearly an integral part of what makes this music what it is. But sometimes a record can be technically excellent and still not quite connect in the way you want it to. And that's where I found myself with this EP. I really like the music, I just wanted to lose myself in it a little more than the vocals would allow.

Afro-Disco Makossa

This is one of those bands that's a kind of fusion of rock, pop and psychedelia, to name just a few of the genres that seem to find their way into the mix.
 
The album opens with "Here's Comes The Rising Sun" and starts with a lilting melody and calm, relaxed vocals. You can hear hints of a psychedelic sound, but it's more a subtle flavour than a full-on assault on the senses. The track has a slow build and is a perfect introduction to what's to come. About two thirds of the way in, the rockier side starts to push through, leading out with guitar and keyboards tripping out.
 
With a more rock sound, "Everything Evil" opens with driving guitar. The vocals, though, are in contrast, being much softer. It's kind of like a fusion of a heavy metal sound with the vocals of Inspiral Carpets, or perhaps the softer side of Oasis. At first, it's a noteworthy combination, but the two elements fuse together so well.
 
Leaning back into more psychedelic rock is "Fascists Killed Yer Rock'N' Roll", which is very trippy and heavy, with fuzz guitar and, I think, hints of dulcimer and indeed sitar. The vocals, though, keep it more grounded rather than going for a darker sound, although it does tend to veer in that direction towards the end of the track.
 
A hint of Indian influence opens "I Got A Pill", but it doesn't linger too long, transitioning into a much more radio-friendly track, which I think is also helped by the vocals. This is a more traditional rock song, but still has those hints of the 60s, especially in the keyboards and guitar. The Indian influence comes back in the lead-out, closing what I think is one of the strongest tracks on the album.
 
The next track, "Broken Arrow", feels more rooted in the 90s indie scene and, while enjoyable enough, feels much more conventional. It lacks the individuality of the preceding tracks and also that more trippy vibe, though there is a hint of it at times. Indeed, the last quarter of the track seems to do a U-turn and turns that dial up by several notches.
 
Things are dialled back with "A Beautiful Fate", which has a much slower, dreamier feel. It's pleasant, if not particularly remarkable, but does provide a nice pause for breath. I did enjoy the piano lead-out, accompanied by birdsong.
 
I think with "Parallel And Contrary Motion", for the first time the band ELO popped into my head and, indeed, thinking back, I think there's a lot of that feel throughout the album. It's more in the vocals and the production overall, but there was something in this song that reminded me of their track "Telephone". The last third of the track seems to again take a turn, becoming almost a dreamy interlude before dropping back into a slightly heavier sound.
 
When "Sleepwalking In Prague" started, I was immediately reminded of "Shipbuilding" by Robert Wyatt. It has that same nostalgic, intimate feel, and the vocals aren't a million miles away either. But whereas "Shipbuilding" is relatively stripped back, there's more going on here, with some additional layers and even a touch of George Harrison-esque guitar. It creates a similar sense of intimacy, but with a little more colour and texture.
 
The album closes with "Spirit, Take Me Away", which is the longest track on the album at a tad over seven minutes, although some of that may be something of a later surprise. The song starts with a very 80s indie sound and is the first track where I can remember hearing female vocals. They're a welcome addition to the mix and further enhance that 80s vibe. At first, on hearing the first minute or so, I thought this was going to be the first stop on a musical journey, but it's pretty much consistent throughout. Not that that's a bad thing, but it does feel markedly different in flavour from most of the other tracks.
 
Looking back on this review, I think dissecting the album on a track-by-track level may give the wrong impression, as it could hint at some kind of lack of focus. Indeed, there's a variety of influences and styles across the tracks, and I can think of a few that are my favourites, which I'm sure will differ from other people. But there is also something cohesive about the album as a whole.
 
And as I finish typing these words, I feel compelled to play the album all over again, turn off that critical side of my brain, and just enjoy it, as there is no doubt this a thoroughly good album.

ASHA

Artists Can Now Manage Their Whole Page — Plus New Contact Tools (2.35)

I've long had a passion for artists singing in their native language, but it's not often that I find albums that really speak to me. Many years ago, I bought the first two Vanessa Paradis albums, and I think this was where I first succumbed to listening to music in a foreign language. I'd always had a soft spot for French spoken word, but I became fascinated by the way I could connect with music without necessarily understanding every word.
 
I actually knew those albums so well that I could sing along to the entirety of both, and apart from the odd word, I was totally oblivious to what was being sung. But it didn't matter. It was about how the music made you feel. I did the same with a Danish artist called Sanne Salomonsen and her self-titled album.
 
The album opens with "Tour du monde", and I knew within seconds that this was going to be something special. It opens very simply, with a delicate piano and a simply beautiful voice, before the drums kick in and give the track some momentum.
 
The next track, "À quoi ça sert d’aimer", has a similar feel. It starts slowly, but again it's the drums that come in and gradually pick up the momentum. There are some really lovely vocal harmonies towards the end of the track that add a little more brightness.
 
Again opening with simple vocals, "Tu ne me manques plus" adds a subtle keyboard accompaniment that gives the track an almost ethereal feel. As mentioned earlier, my French is limited, but my ears did pick up the phrase "comme d'habitude". This took me on a little musical knowledge detour. "Comme d'habitude" was a big hit for Claude François, which might not immediately ring any bells. However, a certain Paul Anka heard the song and bought the rights, creating alternative English lyrics that would eventually become a huge hit for Frank Sinatra with "My Way". The lyrics are completely different from the French version, with the title translating roughly as "as usual".
 
It's easy to be smitten with a track, and "À ceux qu'on aime" is another example. It starts with vocals and simple accompaniment and doesn't veer too far from the formula established by the earlier tracks, but there's something about it that gives it that little hidden X factor. I'm sure that's partly down to the words, but I think a lot of it comes from the delivery. Just past the halfway mark, there's a break where questions are being asked, "Pourquoi...?", "Why...?" There's something in the delivery that is clear, fresh and quite beautiful. There's also a hint of vocoder, which adds a new texture and ensures there are still new things for the ear to discover.
 
Instead of piano, the primary counterpoint to the vocals in "Elles" is guitar. It's almost formulaic in its construction, starting stripped back and simple before gradually building up the musical textures and filling out the song with some wonderful sounds.
 
There's a live feel to "Je te cherche partout", which starts with ambient sounds of nature and water. It's driven by guitar, but when the vocals come in, the production gives the impression of being performed live, with those ambient sounds becoming part of the environment in which the song is being sung. The vocals also have a different feel to them. The title translates as "I'm looking for you everywhere", but rather than sounding sad or lost, there's a brightness to the delivery. Towards the end of the song, you can almost hear her smiling.
 
"Il neige sur la mer" has a similar sound, but it doesn't quite have the same live feel. I think the electronic keyboard counters the vocals and grounds them a little, although not to the detriment of the track.
 
There's something wonderfully delicate about the vocals in "Coquillage". I could translate the song and gain some insight that way, but I much prefer to simply feel the lyrics. The first half of the track follows the timing of a waltz, but in the latter half, the vocals almost step into double time, with a much more rapid delivery. I can't say my curiosity wasn't piqued when I discovered that the title translates as "shell" or "seashell", but regardless, this is a wonderful track. It's also the shortest, coming in at just under two minutes.
 
The beginning of "Les choses simples" is very much spoken word, almost like one side of a telephone conversation. The vocals are then sung, but with an electronic filter that, rather than making them ethereal, gives them an almost computerised finish. They feel almost like the sung response to the spoken words. It's quite different from the other tracks and gives the song an almost theatrical feel.
 
Closing out the album, "Pour ce qui nous attend de mieux", starts with a beautiful piano flourish. When the lyrics come in, they have a wonderful metre and are delivered with a real intimacy. The song continues to build, taking on that theatrical quality once again, almost like the closing of a chapter. The operatic vocals provide a wonderful final flourish, sealing what has been a beautiful journey.
 
I think disregarding music simply because you don't understand the lyrics can be somewhat short-sighted. After all, people have been going to operas sung in languages such as Italian and German for centuries. Sometimes it's not about understanding exactly what is being said. It's about how the music makes you feel.
 
I've loved listening to this album, and I love that it's somehow reawakened my appreciation for music that isn't sung in English. I'm sure this won't be the last wonderful foreign language discovery to appear here and hopefully not the last release featured by Ysé. Vraiment merveilleux.

Pour ce qui nous attend de mieux

Sparks are Ron and Russell Mael, and they've been one of those bands that were very much part of my childhood. They then fell off my radar, only for me to rediscover them again in the 90s. After that, from my perspective at least, all was quiet. That's not to say they were dormant, which very much wasn't the case, just that my musical tastes, and life, veered off in a different direction.
 
Which makes this live album a particularly enjoyable reintroduction.
 
Spanning 20 tracks, it takes in a considerable chunk of Sparks' career. Some songs are like old friends, others are familiar acquaintances, while quite a few are tracks I've never heard before. That's probably not surprising when you consider that Sparks have released an astonishing 27 albums over the course of their career, a feat that is even more impressive when you consider how many times they have seemingly reinvented themselves along the way.
 
For me, there are three particularly distinct phases to Sparks, at least when looking at the songs that made the biggest impression. There's the early to mid-70s, when they first exploded onto the scene, followed by their late-70s period, and then their rather unexpected return to the pop spotlight in the mid to late 90s. What happened in between, and what happened afterwards, is a much bigger story, but those are the periods that most immediately resonate with me.
 
The album opens with the highly appropriate "So May We Start". It's not a song I'm overly familiar with, but there's no mistaking the Sparks sound, nor the instantly recognisable vocals of Russell Mael. It's a suitably theatrical way to begin what feels like a celebration of an extraordinarily long career.
 
I suspect many people will know the Sparks name, even if they only know a handful of the hits. Normally, that might lead me to focus on the less familiar tracks, but in this case I'm going to indulge myself and spend more time with the songs I remember, because hearing them performed live is where this album really comes alive for me.
 
Many will be familiar with "Beat the Clock" from 1979. I seem to remember part of it being used on a TV show, although that could simply be my mind playing tricks on me, as I can't remember which one. Regardless, hearing it here, it still manages to sound energetic and remarkably fresh. That's one of the great pleasures of a good live album, hearing something you remember from decades ago and discovering that it hasn't lost any of its spark.
 
I have a particularly strong connection to "When Do I Get to Sing ‘My Way’". This was a song for which I bought the extended mix on 12-inch vinyl and absolutely played to death. I always thought it was a much bigger hit than it actually was, reaching only number 32 in the UK charts. That's a crime in my book. Hearing it again here brings back exactly why I loved it in the first place.
 
Then there's "The Number One Song in Heaven", with that wonderful, almost ethereal introduction before it settles into its electro groove. This is one of those songs I'd completely forgotten about, only for the memories to come flooding back as soon as I heard it. It's also quite the workout for Russell Mael's falsetto, which remains every bit as remarkable as I remember.
 
Oourse, there's "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us" from 1974, the song that really broke Sparks into the mainstream. Released at a time when glam rock was everywhere, it somehow managed to sound completely different from everything around it. There's a pop sensibility that occasionally reminds me of Queen, but with an added layer of pure theatricality. Not that Queen were lacking, but this had a very much different flavour, a band that definitely didn't particularly care about fitting in.
 
The album closes with "All That", a fitting way to lower the curtain on proceedings, although I'm sure this won't be the last time Sparks will take the stage.
 
There are some interesting omissions. "Amateur Hour", "Something for the Girl with Everything" and "Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth", among others, aren't here. But that's the inevitable problem with trying to condense a career spanning 27 albums into 20 live tracks. At some point, something has to give, and perhaps the omissions are what encourage you to go back and explore the catalogue beyond the songs you already know.
 
And that's probably what I've enjoyed most about this album.
 
It's been a really enjoyable reintroduction to a band that was such a part of my musical upbringing. There are the songs that immediately transport me back, alongside others that have given me a reason to explore what Sparks were doing while I wasn't paying attention.
 
The fact that it's a live album makes it even more enjoyable. There's something wonderfully theatrical about Sparks, and that quality has clearly survived all these years. Ron and Russell Mael aren't simply revisiting their past, they seem to be having fun with it, giving these songs a new life while reminding me of why they were so distinctive in the first place.
 
Sometimes you don't rediscover an old favourite so much as realise that they were there all along.
 
And after all these years, it's rather nice to have Sparks back on my radar.

Sparks Live On The Moon

I seem to have an affinity for finding some of the most incredible Scandinavian artists, and Sondre Lerche is certainly one of them, hailing from Bergen in Norway.
 
Normally, I listen to an album and go track by track, taking notes, then listen again before writing the review. This was one of those rare occasions where I felt compelled to down tools and just listen. It was early morning and, fortunately, a nice day, so I decided to take my dog for a walk and just lose myself in the album.
 
It opens with "How Much Of This Was Planned", and it was another one of those rare moments where the song unfolded and I was like a deer in the headlights, not wanting to move or do anything that might distract me from what was playing through my headphones. There is a sense of drama as the track starts, and I knew it was going to be a bold statement. At almost six minutes, it is quite an introduction to Sondre's music, but have no fear, it's absolutely the right move. This is just an incredible track, with that sense of tension continually rising. It has something of the feeling of "Bohemian Rhapsody", not in musical content, but in confidence and theatre. Pure class.
 
The next track, "Little Kids", is more melodic and a little less dramatic, but no less enjoyable. I'd been trying to think of an artist Sondre sounded like, and I kept coming back to Al Stewart, who had a huge hit in the 70s with "Year of the Cat". It's a voice with a wonderful tone and clarity, ideal for this style of storytelling and reminiscing. Musically, there's also an element of a soundtrack to it, as though this were playing at the conclusion of a movie.
 
At first, I thought "Drive Me Away From You" was going to be some kind of cowboy western song, with the shimmering guitar opening the track. But after the first 40 seconds or so, it morphs into a rousing song that you can almost imagine a crowd singing along to. It continues to build and swell before ending suddenly.
 
Taking things down a notch or two, "Love Is All" opens slowly and feels very intimate. As the song unfolds, it reminded me a lot of Craig Armstrong's "Let's Go Out Tonight", not in overall sound, but in mood, which I think is aided by the ethereal choral accompaniment. This is the first of two epic tracks, and at nearly nine minutes, you'd think it might be stretched pretty thin, but that's certainly not the case. It's a remarkably relaxed track, yet somehow it seems to wash over you effortlessly.
 
Conversely though, I have to admit, when listening to "Follow The River" on my walk, I think I was halfway through when I thought, "How long is this track?" Not that it was grating, but it just felt long, which is strange as it's only a few seconds longer than the previous track. I think a lot of that has to do with the lyrical structure. The song itself feels at times like a blend of classic 70s disco and a smattering of 90s Euro disco. It reminds me of buying 12" vinyl remixes back in the day. There is a 4 minute single version of this track available, which is definitely more in keeping with a 45, or 7" vinyl for those who don't remember those heady days of vinyl. I really love it, but it definitely feels a little at odds with the rest of the tracks.
 
After the previous two epic tracks, "Acrobats" is a much simpler song, built around acoustic guitar and vocals. Low in the mix, though, is a bass sound, or perhaps a synth, I think, that just sits there ominously. There is a chorus of sorts where it picks up a little, but then it falls back again.
 
A little more playful this time, "In The Time Before I Knew Her Well" feels a little like a song from a classic musical, perhaps Pygmalion, or maybe Oliver. It reminded me of another artist recently reviewed by Indie Launchpad, Sparkbird, sharing that same sense of theatre and whimsy.
 
The album closes with "Life-Changing Love", which has a much more evocative opening. It has a slow, building sense of drama and at times hints at changing direction, but it reins that back in, instead adding a hint of intensity before eventually falling back to earth.
 
I have to admit, the first two songs had a profound effect on me, and I think they are surely my favourites on the album. That said, there's not a weak track here, and this will surely feature pretty high on Indie Launchpad's year-end list of the top albums of 2026 and certainly one to add to my ever growing vinyl list of albums to add to my collection

Acrobats

While not specifically post punk, there are enough of those sensibilities here to fuse nicely with an overall indie pop sound. Predominantly spoken vocals sit over strong, insistent drum beats, and there is something instantly infectious about Ben Kidson's overall sound. It gives me much the same feeling of excitement I had when I first discovered The Streets through "A Grand Don't Come for Free". There is a similar ability to take everyday observations and turn them into something that feels both immediate and strangely compelling.
 
The album opens with "back on the apps", a social commentary on the current dating scene, which fortunately I've never had to wade my way through. The lyrics are observational, but there is a feel of honesty to them that stops this from simply being social commentary from the sidelines. Add a cool guitar refrain and a rhythm that just pulls you along, and this is pure magic. It's a very strong opening track and immediately establishes what makes Ben's approach so appealing.
 
Opening with the barest hint of clarinet, "shiver" continues in much the same vein, this time with bass guitar working in partnership with the relentless drum beat. There is something almost hypnotic about the combination, and you can't help but be swept along by it. The arrangement is deceptively simple, but it leaves plenty of space for the words to remain front and centre.
 
With "mortified" I was reminded of the great punk poet John Cooper Clarke. I think where the previous two tracks scan more like spoken vocals, here the metre is much more poetic. The break provides a welcome change from the vocals, a lighter refrain that gives the overall track a nice balance. I especially like the conversational retorts, which add another layer of texture and make the song feel almost like an overheard conversation.
 
There's something familiar about the bass line on "first place". I suppose it's simple enough that it has probably appeared in 101 songs before, but it immediately evokes that sense of familiarity. There's very much a similar feel to the first two tracks, but rather than becoming repetitive, it still sounds fresh and manages to establish its own identity. The lyrics in particular weave an interesting tale, and you can't help but feel the resentment, and perhaps a little sorrow, behind the situation being described.
 
Things take a slight turn with "meet me in the bathroom". This is a more uptempo track, but the lyrical delivery doesn't feel any faster paced. There's also a more conventional sung chorus, which at first comes as something of a surprise, but it adds another dimension to the track. It gives the album a little more diversity without ever feeling like a jarring departure from what has come before.
 
The influence seeps over into "plastic", which has a much more rock oriented guitar accompaniment, giving the track a distinctly 90s flavour. It's fast paced and ends almost as quickly as it begins, which isn't surprising given its two minute ten- econd running time. But you don't feel cheated when it finishes. If anything, you're left wanting a little more, which is often the mark of well written pop.
 
The album closes with "single for a month", which is very much an acoustic track. Much slower, more sedate and a little more reflective, it provides a welcome change of pace after what has been a fairly energetic album. For me, this is the perfect way to end proceedings. Rather than trying to finish with a big statement, Ben lets things breathe, leaving the listener with something quieter to take away.
 
While it's only a seven track album, this was a great find and yet another example of the huge amount of talent that's out there waiting to be discovered. I discovered Ben via Instagram, and just a 30-second soundbite was enough to prompt me to investigate his releases. Thankfully, he had a recent album waiting for me to discover.
 
That's one of the things I love about music at the moment. You can stumble across an artist you've never heard of, hear half a minute of a song on social media and suddenly find yourself disappearing down a rabbit hole of their back catalogue. Ben Kidson was one of those discoveries for me, and this album certainly justified the investigation.

somewhere between asleep and awake

There's no denying this is an interesting premise for an EP, and there must be some level of commitment to the idea given that this is already the fifth in the series.
 
The EP takes you on a sonic journey through four of Brooklyn's most beloved coffee shops.
 
Opening with "Black Coffee - Devoción (Williamsburg)", the guitar immediately struck a chord with me, along with the ambient sound that surrounds it. It's light, relaxed and you can't help but be disarmed by it. It doesn't really go anywhere, but I think that's part of the charm. You're suspended in this little world and, if anything, the track doesn't last as long as I would have liked.
 
"Iced Latte - Hungry Ghost Cafe (Fort Greene)" has a slightly different edge. It still has that same chilled-out vibe, but there's an almost sci-fi tinge to it, I'm sure owing to the synth that underpins the track and gives it its sense of movement.
 
If the first two are chill, "Cappuccino - Café Grumpy (Greenpoint)" manages to drop down a couple more gears. The piano does the heavy lifting here, but I'd say much of the heart of the track comes from the ambient sound of the weather. Again, you can't help but want to stay in that bubble for much longer than the time allocated.
 
The EP closes with "Chai Latte - SEY Coffee (Bushwick)", which I think has more of a jazz feel to it. But there's something slightly off-putting about the tone and the piano chords used. It has a weirdly unhinged quality to it, which maybe is a reflection of Bushwick, I don't know. For me, though, it's probably the weaker track on the EP.
 
Cosmo Kuma is in fact a sub-label of Nettwerk Music, which makes this a somewhat unconventional release. Overall, it's been an interesting journey, but I think my biggest takeaway is just how short the tracks are. The first one in particular could have been two, three or even four times as long, so just when you're getting into the zone, they finish.
 
In some ways, the EP almost serves as a sampler, giving you a brief taste of each location and atmosphere. The problem is that there's currently no real way to sate that appetite. So far, the releases have primarily been EPs, apart from the LA album, which is much longer at around 16 tracks, although those tracks are still all relatively short.
 
Perhaps that's the point. These are little snapshots rather than fully developed compositions. But personally, I'd love to have been given the opportunity to sit in some of these spaces a little longer.

 Cafe au New York, Vol. 5

It's not often I'm left short for words, but this album had me transported to a world far, far away. That world, while tinged with the 80s, is actually more specific than that. It's a John Hughes movie. Even that may be becoming a reference the younger generation isn't familiar with. John Hughes was one of the biggest writer-directors of the 80s, responsible for huge hits such as "Sixteen Candles", "Pretty in Pink" and "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", to name just a few. One of the things that made those movies so memorable was their soundtracks, and listening to this album is like listening to the soundtrack of a John Hughes movie that never was.
 
The album opens with probably my favourite track, "Skygirl". There's an irresistible drum and bass line which, while distinctly different, still gives me The Smiths "How Soon Is Now?" vibes. The lyrics have that dreamy, ethereal feel, but it's the bass line that really drives the track.
 
The rest of the tracks all have that same amazing sense of belonging to a story, a feeling or an emotion. It gives the album an incredible atmosphere, which is likely to be even more powerful for people of a certain age who can feel that pull back towards their youth.
 
There are plenty of 80s influences here, from The Cure, OMD and The Police, at times, even ELO, with "Proving Me Right" being a case in point. As I listened to the album, I kept getting flashes of memories: movies, vacations, friends, and a time when we lived for our music. I have to say, that feeling is intoxicating.
 
I didn't want to go through the album track by track saying "this sounds like..." and "that sounds like...", because while there are plenty of comparisons to be made, I think doing so would detract from the amazing work that's gone into creating something that feels so cohesive. I'd love to get a sense of Josh's influences, though, and see whether they tally with some of the bands I've mentioned. Because while those influences are there, there's an incredible amount of Josh's own creativity in this album, and that has resulted in something quite spectacular.
 
Highlights for me are the previously mentioned "Skygirl" and "Proving Me Right", along with "Hospital Clown" and "After Your Heart".
 
The only track that left me a little cold was "Tissues". Musically, I think it's OK, but the lyrics just made me feel, well, annoyed. It's a strange reaction to have, but I suppose that's also testament to the fact that the song managed to elicit such a strong feeling from me.
 
I did have an issue with quite a few of the tracks, specifically with the vocals and how they're produced. At times, the lyrics are really hard to process and require a lot of focus to understand. While listening to some of the songs, I'd find myself in a strange kind of zone where I was focused mainly on trying to work out what was being sung. It didn't detract too much from the songs themselves, and it could simply be my ears or the way I'm listening, but I thought it was worth raising.
 
Overall, this is a tremendous album. I think it works on two levels: for those who have memories of the 80s and feel that instant pull towards them, and for those who simply love that style of music. Of course, for quite a few of us, me included, it's going to be a double whammy.

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