Azure

Over the course of the 2010s, Vinyl Williams established himself as a prime purveyor of soft-shelled psychedelic pop thats wrapped in gauzy chillwave textures and painted in bright shades of melody. His 2020 album Azure keeps the streak of blurry pop goodness intact while being a slightly less immersive sonic experience than some of his previous albums were. This time, instead of letting listeners sink into the songs like they were settling into worn-in couches, hes not afraid to give them a little bit of a goose from time to time. Tracks like Zum and Never Tell the World have quick-stepping rhythms, guitars with slightly serrated edges, and tricky melodies that reward close listening instead of zoning out. They are still wrapped in the aural equivalents of wooly blankets, only now there is a (slightly) more visceral connection happening than in the past. Of course, there are still plenty of songs like Machu Picchu and LA Egypt where the reverb-drowned guitars, willowy synths, and Williams somnambulant vocals combine to create the perfect environment for a soft massage, but even those are more immediate this time out, and in the case of the latter are just as likely to head into a complicated prog-inspired section as they are to fade into the clouds. It makes for a record thats soothing and enthralling all at once. The lovely late-night ballad Soft Soul is a good example of how he lulls and entices at the same time; the drifting edges and weightless vocals are sweeter than a unexpected day off, and the bubbling bass line and snappy drum fills give the song a gently energetic underpinning thats almost exciting. The entire album is made up of songs that pull of this same trick, and the result is that Azure is easily Williams most accessible record yet. It shows off his growth as a songwriter and refines his already enormous skills as a crafter of musical worlds, while also delivering a batch of quality psychedelic pop tunes that are unrivaled by most of his peers. ~ Tim Sendra