Album Review: Small Black - New Chain

Aren't new genres just annoying? Just when you start to wrap you head around the wide expanse of indie music, some blogger/label/subversive marketing rep comes up with the latest greatest sound and suddenly everyone is ass over teakettle. For a few months, tastemakers are gushing about any unsigned band working in this genre then turn snarky on the head of a pin because the "movement" has played itself out before it actually bloomed. Does any of this sound vaguely familiar? Chillwave has its followers and detractors for sure. Is it a loving homage to the 80's or a vain lack of originality? Whatever your perspective, I will still stubbornly refer to it as indie. Sure I recognize that putting music tastes in little groups makes for an easier life. For me, indie music equals good music. Then I give it a listen and decide how good it truly is. I am going to stop before I start sounding like some modern music Andy Rooney and get to the nuts and bolts of it. Although I have liked some of the chillwave artists I have heard, Small Black's first full length released October 26 on Jagjaguwar has captured my attention.

I am not sure what about Small Black's LP New Chain makes it stand out over Neon Indian, Memory Tapes or several other similar sounds. For me, New Chain, like so many other great albums, are about a balancing act between simple,accessible melodies plus those intangible elements of border pushing and successful attempts at concocting the right formula that leaps ahead of merely interesting. New Chain has a warm inviting nature despite the often steely distance that I find in most chillwave. To find the best example of this, look no further than the single "Photojournalist". The groove is surely infectious, but the circuit-made music envelopes the listener like a cloud of mist so the vocals can creep close and whisper in your ear. I know there is New Wave influences here, but I don't remember it being this lovely.

Another noticeable attribute on New Chain is the production clarity and the efficacious choice let the vocals to come forward just enough rather than mired the mix as another instrument. Although there is still a drifting echo on standout tracks like "Search Party, "Crisp 100s" and "Light Curse", there is no code to decipher. Whether Small Black choose to combine a dance beat, electro handclap or keyboard pulse and swirl, the quality is evident in the clean studio polish. There is no argument that the swooning, woozy snyths is what drives each song, but the voice stands proudly next to it rather than being washed away. Finally, what Small Black succeeded at was making an album that contains no empty spaces or tracks to skip. New Chain possesses what all great albums have: a start to finish flow that plays like a classic novel, comforting and familiar. While you give it a listen below, I will be figuring out what the hell witchhouse is.

Purchase Small Black - New Chain here. Right click to download "Photojournalist" for free here.

Bonus: Thinking of starting a new chillwave band but at a loss for a moniker? Use this helpful name generator and get to rockin'.

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Small Black - Tracks From New Chain