Parallax by Atlas Sound
LABEL: 4ad

Growing up is weird. I recently turned 21, and while most college students spend years looking forward to that day, I spent most of it worrying. “I’m already 21,” I said to myself probably 21 times that day. What scares me the most about being this age is that I no longer feel as though I can play the “I’m-just-a-kid” card. I should be mature at this point, but I feel far from it. Usually, most people find their responsibility groove by their early twenties, but I think I’m getting more immature as the years goes on. So, when I listened to Atlas Sound’s newest album, Parallax, I realized that more than just time is needed for one to mature. Atlas Sound is the solo project of Deerhunter’s Bradford Cox, which should come as no surprise to anyone. Parallax is the studio follow-up to 2009’s excellent Logos LP, which brought Cox further into the spotlight. Atlas Sound’s latest is concise while still being, at times, experimental. But what stands out the most here is Cox’s musical maturation, which has taken years of dedication. Through his work with Deerhunter, whose pop-sensible influences you can see on Parallax, Cox has reached a plateau of maturity.

The Atlas Sound project has come a long way. The pseudonym was originally used by Cox when he was child, using tape decks to record himself playing guitar and drums. The project, now three studio albums deep, has realized its full potential. Parallax is tightly knit, a concise piece that also manages to find room to fit the unconventional. On the album opener “The Shakes,” for example, Cox’s strumming patterns sound like something out of an old Strokes’ tape; however, his ghostly vocals and a string-laden coda make this straightforward track dance across the limits of conventional pop. On “Amplifiers,” we see Cox creating an infectious, drip-like sequence that finds its way digging through ear drums. The most outstanding feature of this album is the fact that there is never a dull moment. Clocking in at almost 50 minutes, Parallax features little-to-no gaping holes. That speaks volumes about Cox’s ability to pin-point sounds and organize them into a collection of eclectic angles and shapes. From the woozy and dreamy “Modern Aquatic Nightsongs” to the poppy “Mona Lisa,” Cox has sharpened the edges of Atlas Sound into a fine point.



By now, most listeners of Deerhunter and Atlas Sound should know that Cox is a prolific and talented songwriter. On Halcyon Digest we saw Cox coping with the death of friend and musician Jay Reatard. On Parallax, though, the lyrical content seems to be starkly more personal. On the poignant “Te Amo,” Cox finds himself stirring in melancholy: “When you’re down, you’re always down.” We even see Cox handing down advice on “My Angel Is Broken,” where he serenely coos: “The older you get, you’ll see/ You’ll be a lot like me/ ... / Everywhere I look/ My angel is broken.” But Parallax is more than just Cox’s downcast attitude. On the slow and viscous “Terra Incognita,” Cox’s hyper-descriptive lyricism shines: “I kept guards and caravans close to me/ In case one day I’d need some company/ I never looked out towards the wind.” Never has Cox sounded so cognizant. His lyrical attention to detail goes a long way on Parallax, giving listeners more than just something to listen to. In fact, he gives listeners something to understand.

Parallax is a tremendous release for Atlas Sound. Throughout the album, the feeling of a burgeoning, under-the-ground tremble constantly keeps the audience on the edge. This tremble is more than just lyrical prowess and instrumental success; it’s a feeling of personal yearning and growth through pain.



REVIEWED BY ADRIAN ROJAS
ADRIAN’S FAVORITE TRACKS: “The Shakes” • “Mona Lisa” • “Terra Incognita”
Read more from Adrian on his blog, On the Importance of Being Rash

+ Read Groovemine's review of Atlas Sound's last album, Logos
+ Read a Groovemine’s round-up of three Deerhunter albums