LA-based electronic duo, Outlands have produced an album that’s every bit as dark and stark as the title suggests. The arrangements are sparse and minimal, the mood low-key.
It’s not all about studious distance and emotional detachment. In fact, Outlands create moments of surprising warmth and intimacy: the sultry ‘Reproduction’ is gentle and unexpectedly tactile-sounding, and elsewhere, ‘Warm Winds’ finds singer Melissa Smith crooning over a soft piano about her love. The beats are extremely restrained, giving Smith’s vocals the spotlight throughout the album, while her partner in grime Mark Arciaga spins atmospheric backdrops. At times it does seem they’ve sacrificed dynamics and memorable tunes in favour of atmosphere and accessibility, but it’s still got enough going for it to justify its existence.
Outlands Online
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