Fluorescence by Asobi Seksu
LABEL: Polyvinyl

It’s always a nail-biting experience when we, as listeners, hear an old favorite take a brave step in a new direction (just think what the band must feel!). Sometimes it bears elation, and far too often, a sort of gut-sinking feeling that leaves us stranded. Asobi Seksu has made a profound name for themselves as the articulators of dream pop and the hazy, prettier edge of shoegaze following the demise of bands such as Lush. On Fluorescence, their newest offering, the band takes a step out of the garage of lo-fi charm and plant their feet into heavy, layered, and almost operatic production. The results vary.

Certainly, it’s their biggest and glossiest album to date. The sound of the record will fill your speakers and your living room, and everything sounds significantly tighter and more cohesive on this record than most of their previous work. But a lot of the reckless abandon that made their early albums so distinctive and beautiful has been traded for an almost Queen-like fury of the theatrics, even stretching to anthemic dreampop. Layers of synths and bass replace jangling chords until it sounds like Phil Spector took a hand at mixing it.

Ironically, for as heavy as the production would have us believe the record is, the songwriting is significantly lighter and less passionate on Fluorescence. It feels a lot like the past two Cure albums, where volume and aggressive instrumentation have attempted to supersede genuine songwriting abilities and just all-around feeling. Anyone coming off of the gauze of Hush will feel whiplash after going through the first four tracks of Fluorescence.

Beneath the pop anthems and overwhelming wall of sound on the album, there are still strong pointers (such as the beautiful “Ocean”) that the Asobi Seksu of the past is still alive and just working out from the glittery corner they had been painting themselves in for years. Fluorescence is just a bit of a fumble in a progressive direction.


REVIEWED BY NEIL LEVENS
NEIL’S FAVE TRACKS: “Leave the Drummer Out There” • “Ocean” • “Trails”

FREE MP3: “Trails”
FREE MP3: “Trails (Deerhoof Remix)” (right-click & save)
FREE MP3: “Trails (Holy Other Remix)” (right-click & save)
FREE MP3: “Trails (Painted Palms Remix)” (right-click & save)
FREE MP3: “Perfectly Crystal (Beach Fossils/Spirit Animal Remix)” (right-click & save)
FREE MP3: “Perfectly Crystal (Xiu Xiu Remix)” (right-click & save)
FREE MP3: “Perfectly Crystal (Mirrors’ Un Autre Monde Remix)” (right-click & save)