Review Summary: ...initialising drem
Waking up on any given January morning seems like it should feel as fresh and new as the year, and yet, it rarely does. Instead, early January tends to be one big delirious search for comfort amidst half-limp Christmas trees, soggily stale leftover NYE treats, and some absolutely despicable weather. Thankfully, about ten seconds into ‘Stoned’s semi-clumsy riff, Plastic Bombs’ second full length
Untitled achieves this comfort. The LA duo’s brand of dream pop is one that finds itself at the intersection of wonderful intangibility and laziness: melodies are frequently buried in a thick blanket of haze to the point of near-indistinguishability. Yet, this frequently works in the album’s favour as these obstructing layers are entirely pleasant: ‘Wearing A Wire’ is adorable in all its lethargic noise, whereas ‘Cat Eyes’ adds unnecessary yet vaguely enthralling bleeps and bloops to more traditional gaze textures.
While
Untitled does not comprise any clear highlights, the breeziness of the record serves as a persistent quality enhancer. It’s a wonderfully concise and cohesive experience, making for a highly pleasant listen that aims to soothe rather than amaze. Plastic Bombs might not yet be able to soundtrack the highs of summer, but they are clearly capable of making the fever dream that is early January all the more bearable. Happy new drem.
