Sylvan Esso - Ow ∞
So I'll start off by saying I haven't really listened to much of the North Carolina based pop duo Sylvan Esso before this point but that's probably gonna change
Because their 5th album Ow ∞ is quite the hook into their sound. The album kicks off quietly with what sounds like a voice memo left by singer Amelia Meath seemlessly blending into the ether of "Entertainment and Coca Cola". Which is a great start to the album with Mealth's voice multitracked to create a soft spoken choir lead by your girlfriend who just woke up for a nap after a work week that lasted far too long asking you as tenderly as she possibly can to go out and have the kind of weekend she won't remember come monday morning at the office.
The infinity symbol in the title of this album feels very apt because despite the albums run time clocking in at under 40 minutes it uses it's time wisely. Songs like "Flood Season", "Back Again", and "On and On" all linger on their choruses musing about the repition and banalness of life and finding what beauty they can in those moments. In fact I was talking to a friend the other day about how this album is about a week old at time of writing and I've already inexplicably listened to it about 5 times in full. It's an album that wants you to listen to it again and dig deeper into all it's nooks and crannies, there's a lot hidden in there for you to find.
One of the standout tracks here is easily "Hot Slob" which kicks off with it's gnarled guitar just begging to be played on Sirius/XM on your morning commute where you're already 20 mintues late with coffee spilled on your shirt and yet you are still determined to not let this day ruin you. If "Entertainment and Coca Cola" is a tired plea for a wild weekend then "Hot Slob" is the double espresso on Monday morning you're using to kickstart this stupid week with the following song "Concrete Glen" serving as that first quiet moment at your desk when memories of all the dumb shit you did over the weekend come flooding back in as you take a moment to process everything before opening up your emails and transitioning back into being a person again.
Something else here that shouldn't be overlooked is Nick Sandborn's production which wraps itself beautifully around Meath's warm vocals. The duo has been married since 2016 and you can tell through their music. The interplay between the vocals and production suggest a couple that knows each other well both professionally and intimately the way they are able to amplify each other. There are songs here like "Entertainment and Coca Cola", "Ribbon", and "Plastic Sword" (which i'll get to in detail in a moment) where Sandborn let's Meath's vocals be the star of the show using sparse instrumentation to punctuate her words and there are tracks like "Flood Season", "Back Again", and once again "Ribbon" where Meath lets her vocals become part of the instrumentation to create a bigger picture.
Finally rounding off the album is "Plastic Sword" which, as previously mentioned, features a sparse beat and mostly focuses on Meath's vocals. The tune plays like a working song with a consistent drum beat and lyrics about the using the tools you have been given as motivation to carry on. It's a catchy little end to the album and it has lovely parallels to the opener. Both songs use minimal insturmenation with a focus on Meath's voice but while "Entertainment" comes of as someone just waking up looking for something to keep them going, "Plastic Sword" is someone who has found their stride and is getting the job done. Keeping with that little infinity symbol that caps off the album title, "Plastic Sword" serves as a reminder that while life is going to be a grind, all it takes is something as simple as a song in your heart to keep you going strong through it all.
Final Score: 8/10