The opening track of ‘Infinity Pool’, the third album from
the Danish quartet, is a strange one. And
that’s coming from a band who are known for their strange, off-kilter
electronic pop. But hip-hop? Hearing the rap of Killer Mike alongside a
hip-hop beat is not only jarring for fans of the band’s previous material, but
creates a disconnect with the rest of the album. When Saints Go Machine are certainly an
experimental group who thrive on pushing the boundaries, but Love and Respect is far from what they
do best.
The rest of the album delves into more familiar territory,
but doesn’t live up to previous album ‘Konkylie’. ‘Infinity Pool’ is a more synth-focussed
album, lacking the archaic dreaminess of Konkylie or Church And Law. Where ‘Konkylie’ stood out for its combination
of creative weirdness and pop hooks, ‘Infinity Pool’ strays too far into the
former and is devoid of the latter.
That’s not to say there aren’t some moments of magic, some
small sparks of excellence. The main synth riff of Infinity Killer slowly grinds away until the beat finally drops at
the three minute mark; the harpsichord opening of System Of Unlimited Love soon develops into shimmering droplets
before the chorus hook kicks in; Mannequin
is a rare example of typical pop structure; Order features powerful euphoric lines that hint at some rave
influence.
A large part of the band’s appeal is the unique, trembling
falsetto of frontman Nikolaj Vonsild, but on this album his melodies are constantly fragmented
and at odds with the production. This
parallels the disjointed production that seemingly changes style every few
bars; production that straddles a thin line between experimentation and
confusion.
The
result is an album that often feels like a collection of disparate ideas and
demos, rather than being fully fleshed out.
As such, ‘Infinity Pool’ is cohesive only in its abstraction; a beast in
a constant state of evolution with very little to guide you along the way. It’s enough to make your head swim.
3/5
Gizzle's Choice:
* Infinity Killer
* System Of Unlimited Love
* Order
Listen: 'Infinity Pool' is available now.
