Tycho – Awake (Ghostly International)

Tycho - Awake (Ghostly International)

Richard Murphy

Though Scott Hansen, aka Tycho, has been making hazy, pleasant chillwave and dream-pop tracks by himself for years now, somewhere in the past two years he took it upon himself to flesh out his project from just himself to a fully realized, traditionally instrumented rock outfit. Make no mistake, this is still very, very much a Tycho record, but with a bit more of an organic feel, almost breaking out of the realm of electronic music altogether. On the whole, Tycho fans will not be disappointed with Awake, an album that is impressive in its ease of listenability, with each track being a downtempo, layered and lush journey with the sole purpose of enveloping the listener in a lovely, warm soundscape. Guitar lines and synthesizers combine into almost indistinguishable echoes, and the fantastic bass tones and driving yet comforting live percussion make this album a perfect choice for next road trip montage or summer compilation slideshow. However, for all its niceness, Awake is not immune to the anticipated problems of chillwave-associated music. Primarily, this is music that is far more appropriate for setting a mood or putting on in the background at certain clothing outlets than actually actively listening to, as after a few songs in a row everything just starts to blend together indistinguishably, and any complaints of this album being boring are completely justified. Still, the production on this record is crystal clear with every lush layer of instrumentation coming through with striking clarity, and the agreeable qualities are undeniable.

RIYL: Boards of Canada, Washed Out, Bonobo, Explosions in the Sky
Recommended Tracks: 1, 3, 5, 8