WK18 - Delorean - Subiza (9)

Released - 3/30/10

Label - True Panther Sounds

BLURB - It's about time. This was an amazing find and exactly the new band I was looking for. I had heard some buzz about Delorean after a couple of shows in NYC and decided to pop into Sound Fix to pick up the new album...I've been listening to it ever since. In my opinion, Delorean is what I always wanted Passion Pit to sound like. They simply are an indie dance-rock band that knows how to bring it. Passion Pit tends to work themselves in and out of great music and lack the consistency that 'Subiza' shows. Delorean finds a way to make every track on the album relevant - something that is incredible difficult to do. 'Subiza' is great in that, at any given point, any given song on the album could be my favorite. It's fresh, it's original and it's fun.

Rating - 9 out of 10

FULL STORY - Wikipedia states the Delorean hails from Spain, and with names like Guillermo, Igor, Unai and Ekhi I'd have to agree. With Spain, comes a fresher take on the whole glo-fi scene that's been going on in the states. Imagine Memory Tapes or Washed Out if they really polished their album and didn't add so much hazy reverb. Or imagine a Passion Pit album that had more than a handful of good songs on it.

'Stay Close' opens up the album and is filled with samples and a pulsing dance beat. The pace of the song is somewhat feverish but is balanced out nicely with smooth vocals that unknowingly slow the track down. Synth chords puncture the melodies and clap tracks and snare hits are constantly trading places. At it's core 'Stay Close' is a dance song, but above everything else it's just a great song that effortlessly reels you into listening to the rest of the album.

'Real Love' brings the tempo down just a little bit but still remains upbeat. Weird samples and effects act as a sort of gimmick to draw your ears in closer, but at no point does it become monotonous or overdone. When the song gets going the piano chords standout like a flower in the desert. The ambience and underlying synths are still there, but at the forefront of the song are pounding chords from an actual piano...who would have thought...an electronic band using real instruments.

The third track, 'Endless Sunset,' is another well done track that fuses aspects of house, electronica and indie together. The energy is contagious as the song pushes forward with a bright two-chord progression that is filled with tons of momentum. The song slows down for a bit and then transforms into a entirely new progression as the bridge takes over, providing a nice, new flavor to the song.

'Grow' finds a way to incorporate both rhythm and lead guitar. The arrangement also brings in different feeling and vibe to Delorean. The album so far was basically layers upon layers of synthesizers and keyboards and dance beats. During the verses of 'Grow' all that is featured are drums and guitars (and a few effects) allowing the listener to relax and take a break from the explosion of sounds that was going on. That being said, the choruses and bridge revert back to the waves of ambient synths, but because of the simple instrumentation on the verses, the synths and ambience that reappear are now holding that much more weight and excitement. Like dangling a donut in front of a fat guy. When he finally gets it, it tastes that much better because he was waiting for it.

'Simple Graces' is a much more funky atmosphere that features a new slew of effects and samples. However, the pace is much slower and more laid back, once again showing the versatility and creativity Delorean has with their music.

My favorite track on the album is 'Come Wander' as it features more pianos but in a downright rave environment. Everything about the track is fun and exciting and impossible to listen to while standing still. With electronic music is often very easy to 'over-do' it. I mean, there's so many buttons and cool sounds out there that it's difficult to actually sit down and say - you know what...we shouldn't put all of this in because it will get too hectic. Delorean knows when to flip the switch and gets the most out of their ideas by keeping things simple yet don't spurn their own creativity. 'Come Wander' is a great example of this because it isn't flooded with extraneous effects, yet it is still electronica enough to create this great dancehall vibe.

I've had 'Subiza' for about two weeks now and haven't been able to put it down. If you're a fan of Passion Pit, Memory Tapes or even French Horn Rebellion, you'll love this album.

Tracks

1.) Stay Close

2.) Real Love

3.) Endless Sunset

4.) Grow

5.) Simple Graces

6.) Infinite Desert

7.) Come Wander

8.) Warmer Places

9.) It's All Ours