I’m reviewing Observer Drift’s second full-length album, Fjords (2013). I’ve been a fan of this artist’s music ever since I came across the LP Corridors, on a random shoegaze search on Bandcamp. I first downloaded it almost straight on to my mp3 player, and later thought: “Wow, these people are really good”. Little did I know then, it only took one person (Collin Ward, to be exact) to make these sounds. I’ve been hooked ever since. That was a year ago.
This time, Fjords sets a new bar for quality in independent music. Many of the songs sound like they were produced and mastered in a professional studio, yet without too much attention to the standard verse-chorus-bridge stuff most songs now apply themselves to. It’s free-flowing, and above all, it sounds extremely modern, or maybe even post-modern, in a good way. I feel like this is a sample of the new style of music, whether many mainstream radio stations and labels catch on or not.
This time, Fjords sets a new bar for quality in independent music. Many of the songs sound like they were produced and mastered in a professional studio, yet without too much attention to the standard verse-chorus-bridge stuff most songs now apply themselves to. It’s free-flowing, and above all, it sounds extremely modern, or maybe even post-modern, in a good way. I feel like this is a sample of the new style of music, whether many mainstream radio stations and labels catch on or not.
This
album is everything I hoped for and more, and won’t disappoint, whether you’re
looking for relaxing or energizing music.
And it’s an interesting departure from Ward’s previous work, without
ignoring or throwing out the things that made his older songs work so well.
Here’s
my TBT:
The
album starts with “Machine”, which sounds like a somewhat more modern callback
to Corridors; the perfect intro to the next hour of your life. There are some Jónsi & Alex-esque sounds,
pleasantly overpowered by spacey-synths, and that trademark guitar style Ward
has by now perfected. At just over 6
minutes, I was glad to not worry about it ending too soon. In the last third of the song, it breaks into
an Arcade Fire-like amalgam of the sounds of the previous Observer Drift
sounds, but again, with more modern synths, to let you know you’re in for a new
ride.
Next,
comes “Sporting Chance”, which is a danceable song, and in which, the album
really takes on its new style. The
vocals are deftly sung, with just enough reverb to make it mainly a chillwave
song, without taking away its good-pop catchiness; and the synth and guitar
hooks make it that much more awesome.
"Azimuth"
is the third track, which is a bit indie, but the (likely) pitch-treated guitar
makes it transcend beyond most indie songs.
Great synth tones bring it far into the 21st century. The lyrics are basic, and very catchy. It builds, and though it didn’t immediately
grab me, by the end of the song, I loved it.
And as you’ll probably hear in future reviews, I’m a huge fan of
falsetto.
"Riptide"
brings a syncopated beat, with loads of Summer energy in the vocals and
instrumentation. The lyric: “You hit me
like a riptide” makes me think of how this album pretty much immediately
catches and captivates; this album will hit you like a riptide, but you’ll want
to stay in its sonic ocean. A nice synth
solo in the middle brings back the good 80s style we’ve all but forgotten in
modern pop, only to be abruptly stopped by the sound of rain, and an ambient
guitar line, and before you expect, it's a whole new melody. The line “Keep to the plan and don’t look
back” sums up the style and pace of this album.
The
title track brings a whole new dimension to Ward’s work. It feels like an instant hit. The acoustic guitar and slow beat makes it
mellow, yet powerful, and vocals are treated with a great eq, and heavy reverb
at all the best times. It instantly
makes me think of a sunset, maybe because of the hook: “We can live tonight”.
"Marina"
comes next, and it’s reminiscent of the first Observer Drift release, Coloured
My Heart Red (EP). Love the treated or
sampled tones that occassionally add some great watery mood to the song. The lyrics didn’t catch me at first, but as
with the rest of Observer Drift, it’s addictive, without bad side-effects.
"Lingonberry"
definitely showcases lo-fi influences well, and there are some great lyrics
throughout. Like many of the other
songs, it has hit-quality, without losing the alternativeness which makes it so
great. It’s a bit like Ward’s first
release as well. And Ward’s lyrical
skill actually made me grin during this one.
The
8th track, "Never Strangers", is a change of style once again, sounding
reminiscent of Coldplay at first. It
begins with guitar and a few soft non-guitar tones, and then, as if by request,
it becomes an almost “Modern Man” Arcade Fire-style indie track. It takes you right out of your expectations,
and gets better with every second. Some
of the vocal harmonies also remind me of M83, and the lyrics are
top-notch. And the ending is really
fitting.
"Mirror
Image" gets back to the sun-and-water-soaked sound Azimuth, Riptide, and Sporting Chance
also showcase. It just sounds like
Summer. The interesting guitar
chords are a bit like what I expected from My Bloody Valentine after all these
years, and a bit like what they came up with; but not to digress, they’re
perfectly complimented by great lyrical hooks, which Ward seems to be something
of a pro at writing. It seems like some
guitar tracks are slowed or pitch-changed below normal, and the electronic drum
track is great, even though it only really becomes noticeable at the end.
The
10th track, "Binary Love", was the only track to be partially released long
before the album was released. The
chorus was first available on the Observer Drift Soundcloud page, and though
it’s a great track, I was actually surprised that some of the levels and layers
sound held-back more on this release. I
think the Soundcloud demo had more reverb, so the track feels a bit more right
there. The beat is very addictive,
and with the guitar and lyrical hooks, I bet it would be great for party-style
dancing.
“Parallel Place” brings in some more Corridors-style night-mist atmosphere. The guitars and synths perfectly compliment each other in the beginning, and then the drums abruptly show themselves. This sounds like it would be a good ending for the album, especially because of the lyrics, but it’s actually just a slower, softer moment on the album. It becomes an anthem, with some Sigur Rós-esque glockenspiel near the end.
“Up in Arms” feels almost like a post-script, after what felt like the end (don’t worry, the real end is coming later); but it reminds the listener that it’s more about the continually-changing evolution from sound to sound and style to style on this album. It’s very surfy, and has that Observer Drift sound. Dangerously catchy.
The penultimate track, “Gnarly Crunch”, is an instrumental track, with trancy-synths, and lightly funk-influenced bass, with a guitar that sometimes sounds like a classic vibraphone.
The final track, “Teach Me”, is a very fitting and unexpected ending. It’s mainly a folky song, that totally takes the listener by surprise. Great vocals and heartfelt guitar make this perfect for the wind-down after the awake energy of most of the album. I won’t ruin the surprise by saying any more, but though it's almost redundant to say this, it proves that this album has been about change, yet with a certain nostalgia and reverence of the past.
Overall, this album is extremely strong, and were I a doctor, I’d prescribe it for patients as a cure for the blues (mental, not musical; blues music is great). You can stream it for free at http://observerdrift.bandcamp.com, and you can get CD quality versions of the streaming tracks, and the final, order-only track, from that link as well. As the line goes in the opening track of Ward’s first EP “Sometimes it pays for us to wait”. And it certainly has with Fjords.
