Synthetica is finally here. For real. The last time Metric released an album was in 2009, so this highly anticipated release from the band is a breath of fresh air amidst the dance anthems that are currently flooding the Top 40.
I don’t know anyone who listens to a full album at a time anymore but make an exception for Synthetica; your mind might just be blown. And if that’s still too much to ask, then at least try the first three tracks back to back. Across “Artificial Nocturne”, “Youth Without Youth” and “Speed the Collapse”, you will experience the 14 most beautifully coordinated minutes of your life. (I don’t want to give anything away, but if you listened to Coldplay’s Mylo Xyloto straight through, you’ll know right away what I’m talking about.)
When I first heard “Breathing Underwater”, I instantly thought of “Rebellion (Lies)” by Arcade Fire. And then it got better, because Emily Haines started to sing. Needless to say, we all love her voice because she makes singing sound so effortless, even when she’s singing about the impossible.
I really like epic sounding songs – songs you can blast at full volume and they literally sound epic, like something drastically unreal is about to happen. There’s no other way to describe it. The title track “Synthetica” has definitely made that cut. Haines’ voice sounds amazingly raw, and the two-note synth riff in the chorus adds a whole new level of rhythm. Simply put, this is just a good song to rock out to.
However, “Dreams so Real” and “Lost Kitten” won’t be making the cut for my iPod’s “epic” playlist. Especially in comparison to Fantasies, which had songs like “Gimme Sympathy” and “Gold Guns Girls,” the light and emptier sound just isn’t my personal preference. But these songs certainly add textural variety to the record and only go to show Metric‘s ability to be musically versatile.
All in all, Metric‘s Synthetica doesn’t disappoint. My favourite tracks? “Speed the Collapse”, “Synthetica” and “Nothing But Time” – these are epic sounding for sure.
Here’s “Youth Without Youth”, the first single from Synthetica:
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