What's Your Utopia?

perth—What’s Your Utopia?

Review by Luis A. Apolaya

The sophomore effort by Australian outfit perth (with a lowercase p) is full of pretty damn good dream pop. Good melodies and interesting beats. Really like how they manipulated percussion in this album. First four tracks are recommended. NO FCCs (most vocals can’t be heard very much anyway). RILY Tame Impala, Beach House, Sigur Ros, Radiohead, James Blake

**1. (3:59) Feels like music to mark a new beginning, electronic instrumentation with regal slow-tempo horns in the background for the first minute, subdued vocals, catchy synth plus lively drumming after the middle of the song.

*2. (4:04) Starts with acoustic guitar and soft vocals over a synth crescendo, synths fade out and sound of water surrounds slightly auto-tuned vocals, moderate drum beat and catchy synth riff follow.

**3. (3:32) Soft vibraphone over drum beat crescendo, transitions to a more moderate beat with mellow and feel-good melody, echoey vocals, ends with mesmerizing vibraphone pattern, very nice.

*4. (3:28) At first a mid-tempo to slow track featuring piano and soft distant synths, after the middle a more vivid drum beat takes over and a soft voice can be heard from afar, gradual fade out of instruments

5. (4:06) Audible and discernible vocals over moderately paced drumming and synth organ riff, has an 80s Pink Floyd feel to it

*6. (3:58) Seemingly dissonant glockenspiel riff persists throughout song, soft synth organ builds up and produces soothing melody, percussion becomes more pronounced as track progresses, pretty good.

7. (4:30) Very distant high-pitched electric guitar and atmospheric synths lead intro, vocals follow, electronic instrumentation until end of track, more up-tempo than laid-back.

8. (4:30) Electronic gibberish starts song off, slowly a synth organ takes over and vocals can be heard, gradual transition to more assertive beats and a collection of ear-pleasing riffs.

*9. (10:24) Melancholy acoustic guitar and surprisingly discernible vocals, after 2 minutes and a half it shifts to more ethereal territory, beautifully sad, track ends at 5:03. HIDDEN TRACK STARTING 7:32. Poignant piano with atmospheric background, distant “oooh” can be heard throughout, very nice ending.