It’s a clever album that subverts the nostalgic sheen with melancholic melodies and artful aloofness.
On his second solo album, O’Connor has again created a retro-futuristic record of constructed and knowingly crafted songs. Musically he digs deeper into the well of primitive ‘80s electronic landscapes and soul-tinged new wave. It’s a pastiche of everything from Pet Shop Boys to New Order with one ear to contemporaries like The xx and Austra, and an overall vibe reminiscent of Underground Lovers’ Cold Feeling. O’Connor’s songs are populated by characters both tragic and heroic, in emotional collisions and planned encounters. It’s a clever album that subverts the nostalgic sheen with melancholic melodies and artful aloofness.