Stray Fantasies

Their third long-player overall, Stray Fantasies is the Western Vinyl label debut of Mint Julep. The project of married couple Hollie and Keith Kenniff, Mint Julep is not only more dance-friendly than Keith Kenniffs other music pseudonyms -- including his ambient project Helios and his modern classical output as Goldmund -- it has become more dance-oriented itself as it has progressed over early releases, crystallizing the lower end of lush atmospheres into something with articulate beats. Other notable components of Mint Juleps distinct sound are the shimmering romanticism of Hollie Kenniffs gentle, soaring vocal melodies, and judiciously placed echo effects that, together with overlapping synths, paint dreamy, shoegaze-informed landscapes atop persistent dance grooves. The set opens with Blinded, a song with a sparkling 80s pop sheen thats eventually blurred by layers of harmonic synthesizers and delay but, like the rest of the album, never murky. Next up, standout Stray Fantasies is a catchy three-minute epic with a sweetly pining melody that temporarily gives way to passing moments of euphoric, swirling synths and pounding beats. Taken together, the song lands somewhere near the crossroads of the Jesus and Mary Chain, Belle and Sebastian, and New Order. The tracks lyrics, while mostly unintelligible, surely involve desire and heartache. These songs appear at the top of the track list, with a few more-listless, circular entries scattered throughout the remainder of the album (White Noise, Escape) that may leave room for concentration to wander. However, to be fair, Stray Fantasies remains strictly loyal to a palette that supports both dancing and, in accordance with the title, daydreaming. ~ Marcy Donelson