Rating: NNN
A band name like Teen Daze brings to mind buzzwords like chillwave, fuzz rock and dream pop. In many ways, these descriptors are dead on. Teen Daze, aka 20-something BC native Jamison, employs soft vocals, ethereal synths and hazy samples. But The Inner Mansions is much more interesting than your typical bedroom pop album.
First of all, it wasn’t recorded in a bedroom. While Jamison may have got his start by self-releasing music online, this is already his second official LP of the year. The strongest moments of the minimalist electro album come when the vocals, whether they’re layered, glitchy or reverb-drenched, are at the very centre. This works especially well on Union, which features vocals from former Dum Dum girl Frankie Rose. But the few purely electronic, dancey songs tend to be forgettable.
Not surprisingly, the album ends with a Brian Eno cover, perhaps a reminder that ambient electro music is here to stay.
Top track: Union (featuring Frankie Rose)
