Isaac Siegemund-Broka
Staff Writer
After releasing two well-recieved albums, Memory Tapes cemented itself as one of the foremost producers of chillwave. With their third LP, “Grace/Confusion,” Memory Tapes now has successfully begun to experiment with its genre.
Memory Tapes is the solo project of Dayve Hawk, the former frontman of alternative rock band Hail Social. Memory Tapes adheres to the genre of chillwave, which utilizes synthesizers and detailed production to produce a psychedelic electro-pop sound. While Memory Tapes remains true to this blueprint, “Grace/Confusion” breaks away from the standard reliance on looping as it strongly and effectively emphasizes melody, vocals, and fragmented song structure.
The highlight of “Grace/Confusion” is its opening track, “Neighborhood Watch,” which applies an airy 1960s aesthetic to the atmospheric timbre of synthesizer and vocal harmony. The backbeat sounds as though its by Rick Ross and that was stripped down to a bare, and timid form. Finally, grinding bass synth enters and the song progresses with a brilliant escalation of intensity until fading away from its bombastic, grooving tone and dropping off into silence.
After the opening track, “Grace/Confusion” begins to lessen in quality. The following song, “Thru the Field,” is pleasant but annoyingly bouncy, and the occasional synth interludes are not complicated enough to be considered an impressive use of harmony. The following track, “Safety,” is somewhat of an improvement; the drums are more substantial and the synth is more layered. Regardless, the emotionless vocals and relative simplicity of the track make it rather bland, which is magnified as it drags on almost for eight minutes.
In attempting to create symphonic and multi-faceted tracks, Memory Tapes has replaced quality with quantity. While “Thru the Field” and “Safety” sample a variety of sounds, neither displays any innovation, setting it apart from the rest of the album.
Some of the strength of “Neighborhood Watch” finally returns with “Shelia,” a winding flow of synthesizer-oriented motifs set on top of an electro-house beat. The song includes not one, but two sections of explosive distortion, with forceful melodic lines that exude grit and power.
“Grace/Confusion” is a remarkably short album; aside from the bonus track “Dig,” it closes after its sixth song, “Follow Me.” “Follow Me” balances the stability of a firm techno beat with the airiness of synth pad and lofty vocals, ending the album well.
Hawk’s soft, crooning voice is a constant icing on top of the instrumentals, but its lightness can come across as insubstantial and bland. Regardless, there are a few well-executed vocal harmonies, and the vocals do a nice job guiding melody in passages with minimal instrumentation.
Most songs on “Grace/Confusion” do not adhere to a basic song structure that alternates between verse and chorus. Instead, each song progresses through segmented musical ideas that broaden the scope of the album. A section of washy synth pad may be followed by edgy bass features, eclectic house beats, or both.
“Grace/Confusion” is not remarkable, but should be commended for experimenting with the boundaries of chillwave. Though hampered by inconsistency, “Grace/Confusion” is pleasantly varied in its approach to Chillwave, advancing the genre with its episodic song formats and a diverse electronic sound.
“Grace/Confusion” is available in some retail stores and on iTunes for $5.99.
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