Glasser is the California-based project of Cameron Mesirow—a singer whose vocals have been compared to Feist or a new-age Joni Mitchell. While her debut album Ring established her as a new force in independent electro-pop, Glasser is much more than a pop singer’s electronic side project. Ring took listeners on an exploration of tropical pop, with an influx of tribal percussive sounds, along with Mesirow’s haunting, yet impressive, vocal range.
Interiors, the sophomore album from Glasser, treats the listener to a symphony of electronic tones and harmonious vocals. While her vocals and lyrics sound similar to a folk crossover artist moving into the electronic fare of production, what makes Glasser stand out from fellow artists is her fusion of electronic and other musical elements. Songs like “Landscape” and “Keam Theme” use drum-and-base beats with instrumentations of off-tempo jazz drumming and choral harmonies, allowing for a fluid transition within the songs.
The electronic production in Mesirow’s songs isn’t forced or awkward, which has been seen with some current producers and artists in the electronica genre. There are no grinding beats that assault the listener’s eardrums or boring, repetitive beats flooding the album with a one-trick pony sound.
The album’s debut single, and first track is called “Shape.” On first listen, Bjork fans might think of this as an updated song from Bjork’s 1997 Homogenic, with static backing vocals and soothing electronica. However, Interiors’ standout track is “New Year,” the album’s penultimate song. “New Year” blends the synth and tropical pop mix of Ring with saxophone and trumpet overlays, giving the user a demonstration on how to properly incorporate genres.
This follow-up album is a step in a new direction, allowing Mesirow to further explore her vocal talents and improve her already impressive flare for mixing beats and tones. Glasser is currently touring around the western United States, and will be heading to Europe to play at Le Guess Who, a festival in Utrecht, Netherlands at the end of November.
Rating: B
