Chairlift - Something

Fri 10th Feb, 2012 in Music Reviews

Downsized to a duo following the departure of Aarron Pfenning, hipster-chic synth-popsters Chairlift return with an especially rewarding second album.

The Brooklyn-based duo are found balancing schizophrenic quirks and sharp pop prowess throughout the record. They opt to introduce the album with an oddity that appropriately attempts to fuse the two elements, the delightfully disturbing Sidewalk Safari an impressive showcase of their expertise. The track picks at the dizzying psychological intricacies of truly malevolent road rage, each articulated to perfection, both musically and lyrically.

Something soon softens to reveal a more romantic, saccharine dimension however. Front woman Caroline Polachek stoops to confess complete and utter adoration for another. “All of me, honestly, is dedicated to hold you,” she gushes in I Belong In Your Arms, a primary example of the band’s immaculate ‘80s pop nostalgia. The song is as sweet and as heartfelt as its title suggests Meanwhile, Met Before follows a similar tact. “Have we met before amongst the buzzing of billions? Clear like yesterday when you look at me and smile,” Polachek recalls fondly, before adding, “My heart is beating fast and I wish that I knew why.”

Alongside the sharp, refined realm of Chairlift’s heavily stylised dream-pop exists a strong lyrical core, the album enchanting at every turn. Pleasingly, Something – a wonderfully and attractively produced album – has the substance to back up an array of enticing instrumental machinations on its surface, its allure extending beyond mere superficiality.

Of course, the significance of Polachek’s presence as the album’s lyrical vehicle is not to be understated. Her charisma is undeniable, elastic vocals entertaining sublime falsettos early. She quickly proves a commanding songstress, adapting wonderfully to suit record’s shifting thematic focus. Whether its enunciating the vulnerability of Guilty As Charged, the jagged poetry of gem Amanaemonesia or the stubborn, personality-clashing sass of Wrong Opinion, Polachek prevails with flying colours.

The rock-solid Something is an especially imaginative affair well-poised to carve its own place within a busy indie-pop climate, Caroline Polachek and Patrick Wimberly crafting a brilliant new chapter for the Chairlift moniker in the process. With creativity flowing from all corners – both complex quirks and deft pop-sensibilities entertained with proficiency – Something emerges a rewarding sophomore venture. Fans of synth-pop rejoice: records rarely get as wildly imaginative and comprehensively enjoyable as this.