Album Reviews – Anna Burch, House in the Fall and more

Anna Burch — If You’re Dreaming (Detroit, Michigan)

Despite all the fun melodies and snarky lyrics in her first record, Anna Burch’s music always felt a little disconnected from her narratives. But with the overt romanticism in the compositions of her latest record, each song brilliantly turns its stories into emotional thought pieces. With this, the simple strums of “Can’t Sleep” evolve into utterly guttural riffs every chorus that knock you out. Meanwhile Burch brings you into a groovy post-tour epiphany on “Party’s Over” as the cloudy and sunny riffs lull you back. The most instantaneously catchy track sees Burch expanding to sax on “Not So Bad,” for a track that forces on to realize they’ve been to down on life, while simultaneously trying to brighten up that new reality in the music itself. Amongst a lot of surreal listens, “Here With You” fully leans into the dream-like tone of the record for a track full of beautiful reverb and welcoming tones.

Public Service Announcement — Betamax Gold (Ottawa)

For glorious synth tones and a lot of ambient hip hop production, Public Service Announcement deliver intense listens. From the bass smacks on “Sunrise” it’s clear how much they embrace the feel of their compositions and really enforce the weight of a moment. But as the beats start to take the forefront on “Clarity,” you feel the catchiness even in their grooves but also a sense of space explored that it’s so much harder to do elsewhere. This concept reaches its own primal feeling on “The Fall” as every drum has a unique soul and the track’s Massive Attack-like tones leave a darkness on the record. Nevertheless, the sparse drops of “Lucid” manage to spin a lot of otherwise pop-influenced synth work into one of the most out there and strange pieces on the whole EP.

Thundercat — It Is What It Is (Los Angeles)

The bass virtuouso hidden on tonnes of albums is back, and his touch has only gotten more magical. With spacey and often powerfully rhythmic pieces, Thundercat really hits that same from Drunk that many would’ve thought impossible. There’s a really thematic energy as things set off on “Lost in Space/Great Scott/22-26” with a little tone setting in the light keyboards and riffs around. It’s hard to deny the infectious mood of “Black Qualls” and Steve Lacy’s guitar plays of Thundercats voice and bass perfectly for a track that keeps climbing higher. The best of the bass is the smooth kick of “Dragonball Durag,” as Thundercat ties all his amazing performances together for powerfully seductive listen. Though the experimental floats and full on shredding of “King of the Hill” provides a fun level of ambitious writing that Thundercat only really touches on most of the time.

House in the Fall – Perceptron (Ottawa)

On the other side of the electronic world is House in the Fall, with a record full of setting-driven soundscapes. Even the echo on “Perceptron” tells a story, with its swirls of keys leaving you mesmerized in its industrial future. This is taken to cybernetic heights on “Error” as a wondrous feeling of digital life is played off the otherwise abrasive tones in its base. House in the Fall land a mix of Daft Punk and video game score energy on “Sigmoid” where their melodic rushes really sweep you up in a feeling of anxiety and fun. However the watery notes and meshed uses of sounds, synthetic beauty and romantic hooks on “Epoch” proves that House in the Fall” are bound to expand into some truly worldly productions on their next outing.

M. Ward — Migration Stories (Portland, Oregon)

Outside of She & Him, M. Ward has repeatedly shown off tender soul that makes his guitar playing feel like an extension of his very heart. But with the starry aesthetic of this new album, Ward is able to create something more than just guitar ballads. From the outset of “Migration of Souls” there’s an ethereal wonder to every tone and even the background hum, so it effortlessly blends romance and a sense of science fiction into one. The approach of “Independent Man” itself is off-putting for Ward’s fans, as he leans into darkness and lets the slow drip of effects envelop the song like a shadow. Those looking for the “Twin Peaks” energy the cover would imply will fill divine happiness on “Real Silence,” as a wave of synths and Ward’s slow approach really pushing the song into a kind of Western magic. It’s all this unusual composition that allows a barebones track like “Chamber Music” to really feel special here, as the touches from each instrument become these monumental additions to the emotional punch of the song.