Washed Out • Paracosm • Subpop Records • Producers: Ben H Allen and Erneste Greene • Score: 7 out of 10
Paracosm feels like a warm summer night. The intro of wildlife sounds over synth chords sets the tone, as though brushing past tropical leaves to reveal the glade of crystalline tracks in which the album submerges the listener. Adhering to chillwave, songs are thin and tinny, occasionally verging on cringe-worthy, particularly on “Falling Back,” which could have been one’s favorite track if not for volume issues. “It All Feels Right” features infectious melodic concepts over offbeat strumming, a deep mix of synthesizers and a head-bobbing beat. Unfortunately, lyrics are consistently buried beneath the sugary Kool-aid waves of synthesizers.
– Ted Jamison
