Review Summary: A.R. Kane have made a classic dream pop album here. With thumping bass lines and 80s style synthesizers .
Every time I listen to A.R. Kane, I get the feeling I’m listening to something extraordinary, different and something to tap my feet to. If you were to pigeon-hole the band into a genre then it would definitely be dream pop. This shares many similarities to the shoegaze scene as this is pop music with very few lyrics and it has a surreal, dream-like quality. This is definitely ‘cheesy’ but the phrase certainly isn’t used as a way to put down the album. In other words, this is fun.
It’s obvious what the best track here is and comes in the form of the first proper track. “Love From Outer Space” is danceable and oozes appeal. The bass line comes out and hits you in the face like a tsunami of sound and the synthesizer sweats it back to the 80s. Not to mention the strong British accent giving you the feeling of a British dance club in the 80s. What we have here is a hidden gem that is possibly the greatest thing A.R. Kane ever did.
That’s not to say the rest of the album is lacking as it certainly isn’t. Barrels of cheesy synthesizer action, thumping bass lines and British accents are all the range here. It’s strong dream pop influence is also relevant here, it’s certainly trancelike most of the time with swirling and crashing sounds in the background. What’s most amusing is that these crashing sounds come out of nowhere in-between songs and not really something to notice till the listener takes a bigger dive into the album. What was a major annoyance to me when I first start listening to it as after nearly every song there is a short fifteen to thirty second interlude. Not a giant concern but the album would have sounded more complete if they had cut these out.
After their best song is another great song, “Crack Up” is a nifty little number with it’s one-two-one-two beat and catchy piano part. Other highlights include “What’s All This Then?” which is in the same vein as “Crack Up” and “Snow Joke” with it’s synthesized horn part and background female-sounding vocals, it’s a delightful treat. Nearly all the songs on this are a delight from start to finish though with any album with this many tracks, there is some duds. “And I Say” doesn’t have any redeeming features and overall is mind-numbingly boring. “In A Circle” goes nowhere and “Spook” doesn’t do anything new. But apart from that, this is a recommended album for those who want something different. It’s danceable, catchy and it’s a lot of fun to listen to. You find yourself coming back to these songs over and over again and they are extremely difficult to get out your head. This is one of the best 80s album I’ve heard in a while so definitely try to pick it up.
I know where she's coming from
space is where we both belong
got to tell her in this song
this time, love, we can't go wrong
