Narrows is the latest LP by Paul Duncan and Oliver Chapoy, who comprise the synthpop duo Warm Ghost. Duncan's mellow vocals prove the group can provide quality music while indulging in its experimentation and genre-bending sound.
Despite a professed emphasis on song writing, on Narrows Warm Ghost's strength lies, as always, in its melodies.
As evidenced by the opening ""G.T.W.S.,"" Duncan's lyrics are often lost beneath his characteristic drawl and the band's hazy filters. Yet despite its digital effects, they avoid the cardinal mistake of drowning out the central melody. They establish a lasting—if repetitive—hook for each disparate song, and demand repeated listening to appreciate the bass and wave harmonies that cushion it.
Indeed, with tracks such as ""G.T.W.S"" or ""I Will Return,"" Warm Ghost seems to have stepped away from meticulously engineered songs in favor of a grander, echoing sound which spans classic synthpop to almost chillwave territory. ""Once One"" laces its dreamy harp backup with a surprisingly active trip-hop rhythm, while ""Myths on Rotting Ships"" emphasizes reverb and booming vocals.
It's gratifying to hear Warm Ghost draw so freely from established genres. While the meaning behind the track titles remains a mystery, that one can actually hear Duncan sing the tracks is a strange relief.
The album takes intermission with ""Ply7,"" an utterly forgettable instrumental that proves voice, while never quite the focus, is an essential part of Warm Ghost's formula.
Fortunately, they are all too eager to please with ""Inside and Out"" and ""Mariana,"" continuing to build greater emphasis on uptempo synth percussion as much as melody. Duncan even teases the listener with a false break in ""Mariana,"" pointing to a more playful and confident approach than previous releases.
Conversely, ""Splay of Road"" seems more like an homage to their earlier release, Uncut Diamond, reverting to chiptune interludes and an updated take on the haunted, quailing harmony.
""An Absolute Light"" closes out the album, its sleepy falsetto embodying Duncan's overall style. Some may find its pacing sluggish compared to the likes of the bands Split Enz or Talk Talk. On its own merits, it's a worthwhile compilation for a modern generation of shoegazers that aren't averse to other genres.
The album is ponderous, its pop trappings but embellishment for the consistently soothing beats. While no single track aspires to the raw eccentricity of past works, as a whole, Warm Ghost sounds more comfortable and decisive in its mold with each successive song. Despite its decidedly more mainstream appeal, Narrows opens Warm Ghost's horizons wider than ever before. (A-)
