Washed Out - Paracosm

I only discovered the US comedy series Portlandia this year, much like I do with every other word-of-mouth, cool-to-love program, and thus wasn't quite aware how synonymous Washed Out's style of music - chillwave, blurry vocals, fancy conceptual titles - was with our perception of the hipster. The show, if you're not aware, makes light fun of the new age hippies and their thirst for free range, ethical everything and outward cynicism. It makes this reviewing malarkey a lot more meta, and with every passing fad tending to die once it's touched upon by the masses (just how widespread are thick-rimmed glasses amongst people who aren't even visually-impaired, now?) there's the growing worry that chillwave is dead.

As a big fan of Ernest Greene's last (and debut) album, Within and Without, this isn't a welcome realisation. Paracosm could therefore be burdened with both the typical expectations of that "second album" and trying to keep something going. That's unfair, of course: others are up to the challenge.

Upon its 'Entrance', we're greeted with birdsong, slow xylophone arpeggios, harps and that constant, shining synth. It allows for this paracosm to take shape and serves as an intro in its most literal sense, before 'It All Feels Right' - yet another song title in Greene's desire to make us react - kicks in a beat and one of the prettiest, enchanting melodies of the year. It's such a simple sentiment, lyrically ("meet up with the old crowd/ music's playing so loud") that it's difficult not to relate to and dream of. Towards the end, party chatter is heard in the background and that carries onto the largely more dancey 'Don't Give Up', with its heavy emphasis on the sweet part of a bittersweet encounter with a former partner.

Dance vibes are traded in for all-out arms-waving loveliness on 'Weightless', but it feels a little like it's trying too hard (imagine being in a floatation tank but being constantly told you're in one over some speakers). Quite nice, I suppose. Leave it to 'All I Know' to bring in more than enough instrumental changes to wash away any memory of Greene being obvious; the track coasts along gloriously between reassuring, warm Coldplay elements and hazy, psychedelic sections. The main detractors of chillwave is that there's only one real theme going on: escapism. So imagine their horror with a song like 'Great Escape', all scorched synths and desire to "make believe the world has vanished around us". You can sort of see their point when it's made so obvious, but for those who enjoy the genre, it's bound to please.

Paracosm's title track is the first one, really, that doesn't heavily breathe down your neck reminders to enjoy yourself; instead, bass guitars and large hints of the Flaming Lips build its own little eco-bubble, where the sounds of bicycles and kids playing serve as segues. The melodies are often straightforward and, most likely, not entirely novel - as on 'Falling Back', which is quite a strong reminder of another recent love of mine, Glass Candy's Warm in the Winter - but, given a few tweaks and pop touches (see: the thumping drums, the party clapping) it's quite easy to forget and forgive that. Closer 'All Over Now' serves as the obligatory reluctant dream-ruiner, but makes for another beautiful listen.

The only shortcoming I can think of here though is that the title Paracosm would have suggested a little more of an inner world, and use of imagination - and whilst musically it's rich and gorgeous, there isn't a whole lot to be said of the songs' lyrics. You could argue they're unimportant, but why include them otherwise? Everything else is essentially perfect, save for a couple of non-starters around the midway point.

Rating: 8/10
Highlights: It All Feels Right; All I Know; Don't Give Up; Falling Back; Paracosm
Avoid: n/a

Artwork Watch: Garish 1970s wallpaper.
Up next: Ciara