Album Review: Strange Talk - Cast Away

The four Melbourne lads making up electro-pop vandals Strange Talk dropped their self-titled EP in 2011 and the lush '80s synth driven sounds were impressive enough over a short release; but how does a full length hold up?

Cast Away opens boldly enough, with the powerful and dance-ready title track. The following Falling In Love hit similar moods; both positive without being saccharine, '80s influenced without sounding naff. The constant Roland D-50 styled backing keyboard tones hold these early tracks together wonderfully, and the unapologetically artificial drum beats aren't too clipped or intrusive. These elements, combined with the funky up-and-down-the-keyboard solos and grooves, and soaring, almost feminine vocals, will win fans over immediately and joyfully.

Not sticking to strict 'neat' synths, the band employs a synthetic string loop on album highlight So So La La; it really shows off their clever approach to production and sonic landscape creation. The lyrics rarely paint a picture quite worthy enough to fill the frames the bright music gives them, but their processed nature allows them to fall into place inauspiciously enough.

Strangely, a fair touchstone would be French indie rockers Phoenix. If they were to truly embrace their electronic bent, they might nail sound as well as Strange Talk does.

The album does fall into its groove a little too quickly, and certain songs (Visions) aren't needed at all, so the 45-minute effort does manage to somehow feel overlong. Take Cast Away as a pledge for what the band stands for or a promise of what they're capable of in the future, and it's better than it may be in reality; a catchy enough, very well done (if oddly generic) synth pop record.