Demob Happy

Warm-hearted but simple

6/10

I have to say that I was disappointed by this album. Although it has a simple, wide-eyed vision to it, and is a welcome change from the glitchy end of electronica, I can’t help feeling that is sound is too optimistic, too light-hearted and lacking in edge for my tastes. I think part of the problem is that the formula is repeated consistently throughout the album, with little to distinguish one track from the other – light, shimmering synths build gradually over rolling rhythms to create a blissful cacophony of sound, seemingly tinged with nostalgia and fond memories. This is, admittedly, heart-warming and beautiful, but – as the album wears on – starts to get a bit dull. The high point of the album is probably the title track, which uses splashy, cascading beats to evoke the necessary sound of ‘Passing trains…’ to great effect. On the whole though, the album lacks a necessary range of ideas: perhaps you need to listen to this in a more scenic or inspiring environment (than a bedroom in south London) but this could never be more than background music for me, as my attention swiftly wanders. However, I would still recommend this for people who like their electronica with a positive, uplifting feel to it. Despite its somewhat simplistic production values, it is a far more soulful album than the majority of the ‘chill-out’ records, which I would not categorise this as.