Album Review

Groundislava – Frozen Throne

• 22nd Sep 2014

The email subject header promises a ‘dancehall infused single’, it apparently has a video of people dancing to the track on the streets of New York, I download the album and get a few tracks into a safe, and ultimately dreary, female vocalist and multi-instrumentalist going through the motions. did I hear anything ‘dancehall infused’ before turning off?

No. I did not.

And on to the next album in my hastily decided upon ‘to review’ pile. Thankfully it engages almost immediately.

I skim read the premise of this album, in much the same way I skim read the press release of the last. The terms ‘concept’, ‘dreary world’, ‘producer’ were the initial hooks, enough for me to hit download. Once the music has spoken for itself, there will be plenty of time to go back if I need any more info.

Aurally, Groundislava’s Frozen Throne boasts results that could have been cobbled together by an on-trend collaboration of Frank Ocean dabbling in production duties for Bastille, sheer gossamer future-pop that rides a wave of current trends without sounding like it tries too hard, a teaming of two 21st century chart-breakers would surely breed this strain of soul-synth-pop magic.

In fact, the collaboration is between the two LA based entities, producer Groundislava and band Rare Times, on 6 of the 10 track set, and the album is furnished with a wonderful eighties sheen that crackles with George Michael-eque big money charisma as it takes the retro sound to tell a tale of a man falling in love with a virtual girl and retools it with a new nobility lifted from beats, breaks and those three dirty letters…. EDM, as we follow the narrative into a digital world, to escape the bleakness of real life and embark into a constructed world that appears to be far more fulfilling.

(See, I told you I’d get round to ready the press release properly)

Despite sounding like the plot of an 80’s special effects laden cult classic movie, the issues of what we truly perceive as ‘reality’ in a post catfish-effect world teaming with internet trolls are thoroughly relevant in a time when simply setting up an online profile can allow you to live your life as whoever you choose to be.

Past, present and future stories collide as Groundislava basks in the glory of his own terraformed landscape, welcoming travellers on a pilgrimage for new pleasures, greeting listeners that may have already discovered M83 after cutting their teeth on the familiar top 40 sounds of CHVRCHES, Aluna George and Disclosure.

In an uncertain modern world, Groundislava provides the perfect soundtrack.

Originally published on Desperately Seeking Susan Boyle

Venue: Frozen Throne
Support Band: Friends of Friends Music