Review Summary: Listening to Soft Metal's debut is like being in a dream. It is a pleasant experience, but when you reach the end and wake up, you probably won't remember a substantial amount of it.
In last few years there has been a considerable rise in the amount of arty, synth-orientated records. However, it remains an area of music that has been undeniably trumped by the increasingly popular indie folk scene - at least in terms of recognition and consistency. Nevertheless, Portland couple Patricia Hall and Ian Hicks got together in 2009 to try their hand at creating melancholy electronic pop, shamelessly influenced by their common love of vintage synthesizers and drum machines. Their eponymous debut album is an album of evocative sounds; a blend of 80s industrial beats and Chicago house, wrapped in a generous measure of minimalist electronica.
"Psychic Driving" provides the album with a promising start. Introducing itself with a deliciously melodic riff, the track grows agilely, layer upon layer. The first appearance of the arpeggiator is a significant highlight in the song. In terms of instrumentation, the opening sci-fi synth is a befitting representation of the overall record. For fans of Vangelis, this is terrific. For those who do not care for the Blade Runner OST, perhaps not so. But in all honesty it doesn't really matter too much, for Soft Metal's overall sound is more interestingly characterised by the soulful quality of Hall's haunting vocals, which skim gracefully over the fluid electronics.
The most memorable highlight of the album has to be "Voices", which features highly appropriate spoken-word verses, a "catchy" chorus, and an abundance of great synth phrases and arpeggios. "Eyes Closed" and "Do You Remember" are also focal points, which present the listener with more expressive female vocals and some brilliantly contrasting instrumental sections. "The Cold World Melts" and "Pain" are pleasant numbers, but they generally fail to leave the same impression as the aforementioned tracks.
Soft Metals have adopted a relatively simple approach to making music in this genre. But for most of the album this doesn't stop them from creating an atmospheric feel that is so vital to this kind of record, albeit less skillfully than the likes of Simian Mobile Disco and LCD Soundsystem. There are some repetitive passages on the LP that could be seen as less aggressive (and unfortunately less absorbing) versions of what SMD achieved on their latest album, "Delicacies". In addition, instrumental tracks such as "Celestial Call" and "Hold My Breath" are ultimately underwhelming in comparison to killer tracks such as "Voices".
The most noticeable flaw of the duo's debut effort is the reliance on Hall's vocals to breathe individuality and life into these songs. Despite having said that, the produced sound (vocals included) is far from original. But originality is hard to come by these days, so as long as it's executed well, it should never be too much of a concern. The problem is that the album meets the latter criteria very inconsistently; the instrumental tracks tend not to be compelling, and after a while the vocals begin to blur into background. If a track is to be instrumental, it needs to have the feet to stand by itself. And unless the instrumentation is astounding throughout the record, the vocals should not remain as static as they do on this one.
All in all this is a good album - it often paints moods in an artistic manner whilst simultaneously being dancable. But there doesn't seem to be enough to make it a *great* album. Listening to Soft Metal's debut is like being in a dream. It is a pleasant experience, but when you reach the end and wake up, you probably won't remember a substantial amount of it.
