In Conflict

This song cycle from Canadian composer and frequent Arcade Fire member Owen Pallett is a major statement, a self-aware but sweeping and daring set of chamber pop pieces. Inspired partly by Pallett’s departure from Toronto after living there for 15 years, the album evokes love and loss with dignity and pinpoint precision. It’s mannered but not quirky and serious but not stern, and Pallett merges classical influences and electronics without the mixture ever feeling tacky—a rare feat. A banner album for 2014. Every song is excellent, but 1, 4, 10 are particularly powerful. No FCCs noted.

1. *(4:16)—Begins with intense, ominous strings, and then goes full tilt electronic in the second half. One of the most striking album intros I’ve heard in recent memory. “I’ll never have any children.”
2. (4:14)—Warbling synths open to dreamy, propulsive pop that makes me think of ice skating for some reason.
3. (4:33)—Minimal, staccato, creeping. Builds as though it’s about to go epic, but stays measured.
4. *(4:31)—Synth heavy, very 80s—both in musical and vocal styles—but sharp and immaculately arranged. It’s a bright rainbow flood of musical notes, acoustic and synthetic. The singing’s especially lovely. One of my favorite songs of 2014 so far.
5. (5:16)—Medium-slow, dreamy, soaring, a little funky.
6. (3:53)—Slow, close to a dirge, with horns and a downtempo electronic beat.
7. (3:54)—Slow and sad, no beat—reminds me of Gem Club.
8. (4:23)—Mid-tempo, propulsive and tense. Insistent synth beeps.
9. (0:46)—Play with track 10.
10. *(3:44)—Intense, climactic, with a heavy, slow beat and amazing rhythmic layering. Killer!
11. (3:23)—Fast, with hyper synths and drums and lots of vocal tracks.
12. (4:56)—Slow, kind of easygoing and jerky.
13. (1:52)—Instrumental. Dramatic strings.