Washed Out - Within and Without

Just when you think you've heard enough synthpop this year to last a lifetime, along comes a debut record that could, quite arguably, be the very best of the lot. Georgian (as in the state, not the country, although I've now got a craving for some Eastern European synths) soloist Washed Out has already amassed some considerable praise for this, his first record, after a handful of EPs and free downloads. But for Ernest Greene, this success has possibly come out of nowhere.

And let's face it, it's rather difficult to stand out as an electronic artist at the moment. Even down to the fundamental pop successes where seemingly the least talented are most rewarded (Guetta, Chase and Status) but in the indie environment too, where even I (and I consider myself to be in the shallow end of the online pool) have probably reviewed 50 electronic albums this year. But even if it's for the artwork, Within And Without is one such stand-out.


Opener 'Eyes Be Closed' could feasibly stand up there with the mainstream chart-synth botherers and indeed should, with genuine breakdown moments (the drums at 2:48; the hallucinations of 3:34 onwards), and then the melodies of 'Echoes' are just as instantly catchy as the likes of 'Miami 2 Ibiza' or whatever it is the Ministry of Sound pretends to be good. The beat is pretty slick too, so it's definitely one for the clubs. One of my favourites from the record, 'Amor Fati' soothes with a very 90s ambience that had a big impact on the output from the likes of Groove Armada, Jakatta or Massive Attack.

My absolute favourite from the record though is 'Soft', which can only be described as the sonic equivalent of sitting on my balcony with friends in the summer. It's got a hauntingly quiet deception about it that manages to somehow surround you with its distortion and its trails, that on a couple of occasions I wasn't sure if I was listening to my laptop overheating. It's just mesmerising. 'Far Away' introduces a little more instrumentation to the fray with some strings and a truncuating bassline - initially the percussion in the foreground appears distracting, but once the glockenspiel (I think) melodies kick off, it feels part of the furniture. 'Before' is so shoegazed that you might need to click your fingers a couple of times to snap out of a trance.

There's of course something very sensual about 'You and I' as the title would suggest, but words aren't necessary to gain this impression: the beat in particular is perfect. I was reading F. Scott Fitzgerald's Tender is the Night and, without wanting to spoil too much, the description of affection between Rosemary and Dick at several moments throughout the novel would be greatly matched by this track. Whispers from Caroline Polachek exacerbate that atmosphere. The title track 'Within and Without' to me feels a little repetitive of some of the other sounds on previous tracks, but the chorus again ticks off yet another sublime synth that - in amongst all of the trip-hop segments - feel serene. The piano tunes on 'A Dedication' too are a perfect finale, complimenting the subtle vocals and beat in much the same way Massive Attack have pulled off hits like Teardrop or Safe From Harm


Quite whether this fixation will last into the autumnal months remains to be seen - but for now, in July, it's hard not to get caught up in all of the dusk-lit romance here. The sounds on offer may at first appear to be extremely repetitive but if anything the entire listen of the record feels like a very good night out indeed. This one might just grow to be your favourite too.

Rating: 9/10
Highlights: Amor Fati, Soft, Eyes Be Closed, Before, You and I
Avoid: n/a

Artwork Watch: The sheets are ruffled, the lettering is split into 3 columns despite only being 2 words, there's attractive people fornicating: this is serious business, folks. (On a serious note, I like it)
For fans of: Holy Ghost!, Cut Copy, Metronomy, Massive Attack