Moments

By the time they released 2025s Moments, listeners knew what to expect from Cut Copy. The band deliver plus-sized dance rock meant to fill large venues, leavened with uplifting melodies, shiny synths, and Dan Whitfords earnest vocals. There might be some techno influences, some ambient atmospheres, a house beat or two, and even some U2-style cinematic outreach, but in the end they sound exactly like Cut Copy and no one else. Thats a comforting thing for fans who are happy with the direction the band has taken, and once again they are undoubtedly in full control of their sound and know how to tweak it a little to keep things fresh. Here they add trap beats on the title track, 808 squiggles on "More Alive," and a childrens choir on "When This Is Over," while also doing fun things like altering Whitfords vocals on "Find a Place Among the Stars." More importantly, they come through with some melancholy dancefloor bangers sure to be the soundtrack to many a lonely heart. "Solid" is classic Cut Copy, balancing echoing, looping walls of samples and synths with a skittering drum pattern and a heartfelt vocal from Whitford, "Belong to You" is rubbery funk, stripped down and direct with some nice guitar riffs and a sweet vocal verse from Kate Bollinger. The uptempo tracks settle nicely against the more ambient and expansive songs like "Children of Fairlight" where the sound is buffed to a reflective sheen. Maybe a little too much at times, but not enough to ruin the overall effect of the album. The band intended Moments to be a balm to be applied during tough times and it works well in that regard. There are songs for dancing when the mood strikes, songs that can soundtrack spells of introspection, and a few that serve to uplift a troubled soul. Cut Copy have come a long way from their origins but records like Moments show that they have landed in a place where their craft and care can lead to albums just as good as their early classics, if a bit more adult and measured. ~ Tim Sendra

オーストラリアのエレポップ・バンドが7枚目のアルバムを発表。シンコペーションを効かせたベースが肉感的グルーヴを生み出す"Still See Love"など、ディスコやハウスが背景にあるダンサブルなポップソングを存分に楽しめる。"Solid"を筆頭に、随所で飛び出すサイケデリックな音像は、聴き手の意識をここではないどこかへ飛ばしてくれる。
bounce (C)近藤真弥