Day 86: Sylvan Esso — What Now
You can thank the playlist curators over at SiriusXMU, the satellite radio provider’s indie rock station, for putting Sylvan Esso on my radar and keeping them there. It seems like every time I drove anywhere this year in my parent’s car, I’d hear “Die Young” or “Just Dancing”, and more than likely both. And there was nothing wrong with that, because these are two two perfectly enjoyable pieces of electrified indie pop.
Well, with the end of the year and the end of this self-indulgent music writing project now in sight, I’ve finally gotten around to listening to the rest of What Now. While not a revolutionary record, it does a clever job of subtly subverting some pop ideas without becoming unnecessarily dense and challenging.
One of What Now’s most notable characteristics is its comfort with off-kilter rhythms. From the choppy acoustic guitar of “The Glow” all the way through the fidgety chorus synth on “Rewind”, Nick Sanborn’s electro-synthpop production, either stripping away conventional rhythmic elements or operating in more challenging time signatures. “Kick Jump Twist” is a perfect example of how he can create lots of dynamism with just a few different loops, leaving just barely enough for the listener to get a sense of where the beat is supposed to be. That sort of ethos turns what can occasionally be pretty minimalist compositions into songs that feel more active and attention-grabbing.
When they stick to more conventional shapes, the results still stand apart from more straightforward dance/pop songs. “Just Dancing” does a great job of picking up steam as it moves ahead to an infectious chorus imbued with freedom and enjoyment, an embodiment of Amelia Meath’s lyrics about the thrill of finding new love on the dance floor, if only for a moment. “Die Young” plays with dynamics, with Meath almost softly cooing through the first verse until the 80’s synth on the chorus pushes her to a more enthusiastic and anthemic space (even if it’s to express exasperation that she has to keep living).
I don’t know, it’s not the kind of album that’ll stop you in your tracks, because Sylvan Esso is far from the only indie duo playing in this sort of synthy space. However, What Now does a good job of incorporating glitchy, video game tones without making it their calling card or crutch, creating quirky electronic tracks that treat the conventions of pop as a curiosity rather than a set of edicts. It’s not going to make you lose your mind or warp your understanding of music, but it’s fun. Good enough for me.
This is Day 86 in my 100 albums in 100 days series, where I review a new album or EP I haven’t heard in full before every day through December 31st. Check out yesterday’s post or see the full archives for more
