Vi/Deo

On 2019s mythologically inclined Hypnos, Xeno & Oaklander based their songs on stories from the ancient past, but on Vi/deo, the situation the world found itself in during the COVID-19 global pandemic guided their muse. Having moved their studio to Connecticut, far from New York City and the clubs and parties that sparked their partnership, Sean McBride and Liz Wendelbo were inspired by the memories of dancing and by the hope that they could do so again in the near future. Though Vi/deo was made in an era of social distancing, Xeno & Oaklander have rarely sounded as direct and present as they do here. As Wendelbo sings over intricately meshed synth patterns on the opening track Infinite Sadness, Sounds of the underground/Will echo in future days/Feelings of misery/Will fade into the haze. Theres an apt vibrancy to Vi/deos songs, thanks to the poppier songwriting of tracks such as Afar, where Wendelbos French vocals -- which she modeled after the singing of choir boys -- are particularly compelling (to be fair, when she sings about different hues on Technicolor, its just as intriguing). Elsewhere, touches of Italo disco make Poison one of the most direct and danceable songs on the album. Xeno & Oaklanders minimal sound has always been a perfect foil for maximal concepts, and fittingly, they examine videos ability to capture reality and create fantasies with songs that exist in a liminal space between the two. On tracks like Television and Movie Star, the shifting and interlocking synth motifs, slippery chord changes, and eerily sparkling electronics have an almost visual quality, as well as a nervy undercurrent that keeps their precision from being too coldly perfect. Though Wendelbo and McBride stretch out a bit with the beautifully gloomy Rain Garden, the albums concision only adds to its mystique. One of Xeno & Oaklanders finest moments, Vi/deo pays graceful tribute to the memories, fantasies, and dreams that sustain us when times are hard. ~ Heather Phares