Rating: NNN
Judging by the Albertans’ third album, the Vancouver-based synth pop musicians are getting comfortable enough in their skin to head in weirder, more minimalist directions. Compared to their hookier previous efforts, these 10 songs sound disturbed and off-balance.
Pitch-shifted first single Casual Encounters, about showing up at a bar to meet friends who never arrive, has a detached creepiness reminiscent of locals Trust. Invisible Fortress turns toward the industrial, a bit incongruous but also a nice break from Joel Bravo’s overwhelmingly breathy singing. Experimental, sparse Waterbeds is a precursor to closer Black Moon, which slowly unravels into ominous nothingness.
Poppier fare, jangly guitars and co-vocalist Alison Yip’s sturdier vocals are sprinkled throughout, including on strong second single Jason, lending variety and lightness. But the overall emptied-out, eve-of-the-apocalypse vibe stays consistent. It’s intriguing, but you also keep waiting for something more to happen.
Top track: Jason
The Albertans play the Dakota Tuesday (September 24) and the Horseshoe October 1.
