Nobody's Watching

構成数 : 1枚
合計収録時間 : 00:00:00
Moody, mysterious, and eerily compelling, Nobody's Watching marks the sophomore outing from Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Dre Babinski, a longtime indie pop ensemble player whose excellent solo work has manifested under the Steady Holiday banner. With collaborator Gus Seyffert (Beck, Roger Waters, Dr. Dog) once again at the helm, Babinski returns to the refined world of dark-hued, loungey dream pop that she first introduced on 2016's highly regarded Under the Influence LP, then deepened on 2017's delightfully wicked Terror EP. While her knack for establishing delicate midnight-hour indie pop environs is instantly apparent, the ten songs on Nobody's Watching have a lot more going on than first blush would suggest. An increasing fascination with evildoers and the widespread effects of fear in society has given Babinski's work a flavor that exists somewhere between melancholic and slightly mischievous, with deep layers of meaning and lyrics that are plenty clever without shouting about it. It's a tough trick to pull off, but she examines with aplomb a wide range of wholly uncomfortable themes, like the battle between altruism and desiring recognition for it on "Mothers" and the animalistic tendency toward opportunism on the catchy title cut. The arrangements have a reserved quality to them, with warm-toned synths threading between hushed bass parts and soft-handed drumming while Babinski delivers deeply considered observations and harsh blows in her soft, sweet voice. Elegant and effective, Nobody's Watching is a beautifully crafted reflection on tense times that also offers respite with its own winsome character. ~ Timothy Monger