Working with musical hero/prolific songwriter John Vanderslice, Teen Daze (aka Jamison) was bound to discover his own voice, shedding the layers of ambient bedroom recordings that smothered it in the past. For his sixth full-length album, he travelled to San Francisco to record in Vanderslice’s analog studio, a move that adds an indie rock sound to his usual electronic palette and puts his bright vocals at the front.
The hooky synth melodies of his previous work are still here, but now they’re accompanied by piano and lush guitar. The sound is nearly unrecognizable from his 2010 debut, Four More Years, a classic chillwave album with plenty of samples and minimalist dance beats. Five years later, Teen Daze isn’t afraid to sing with clarity, minimizing the washed-out effects that covered his vocals on previous records. (Listen to Life In The Sea for the best example of his newfound pop vocal prowess).
Without a doubt, this is his poppiest album – but he still holds on to his penchant for a good vocal-less groove. Tucked away in the middle is You Said, an all-instrumental ode to Teen Daze’s history.
Top track: Life In The Sea
Teen Daze plays the Drake October 15.
