| Her Space Holiday's The Young Machines is a wind-up toy that's just been released. A little cymbal clapping monkey or a waddling tin penguin with its stressed out springs set into motion. The album begins with the instrumental, "The Young Machines" - the album's only instrumental; it is a piece that is a little bit pretty and quite a bit moving. Since it is the premiere track and takes its name from the album title - or vice versa - a very appropriate assumption would be that the album follows more along the same lines. But, ostensibly it seems much of the album is less composition and more elemental arrangements. The songs fit together acoustic guitar parts, classical-style instrumental melodies, synthetic drumbeats, and keyboards/piano. Over these layers of music, Marc Bianchi's soft-speak vocals sing; the epitome of cool. The elements are looped and fitted accordingly; tighter than previous albums and more beat synchronized. Bianchi's lyrics correspond with almost beat-measured singing, and his rhymes are just like the other elements, a formulaic fit. It is like Bianchi is playing by metronome. What is surprising, and delightfully so, is that the album still manages to sound dynamic. For all the looped and processed perfection, and with Bianchi's unwavering serene voice, the album is ten good songs. The end result is a very cool and laid back disc. Bianchi's lyrics explore relationships, drugs, death, and in "Meet the Pressure" the vicious criticism of his music. Here are a couple of good lines: "Don't get me wrong I don't mind getting bad reviews / In fact sometimes they're the only ones who try and speak the truth / But there are others who just love to cross that line / Hoping that their viciousness will boost traffic on their site." As far as electronic-indie-pop goes, this is a well-crafted album. Huzzah! - 30 Music |
2XLP/Out Of Print