Not everything is black and white. When life seems grayish, there is always music to color it. I can’t say I wasn’t skeptical when I was about to take a walk and listen to the new album of the member of the glorious collective XX. The reason for my skepticism was because I have noticed that, over the past decade, electronic and indie rock music have become extremely fancy on alternative scene. Every daddy’s boy with 2 hours of DJ practice would proclaim himself as the new James Blake or Jon Hopkins. Another argument for my caution is a really bad remix of the great Gill Scot Heron’s album ‘’I’m New Here’’ and the second album of The XX which was a skinny shadow of their debut album.
Anyway, I am happy when my anxiety disappears when something completely arrests my senses, which is exactly what In Colour did. Even though the vocally irritating intro Ghosts was repetitive, when the Sleep Sound started, I knew I was ready for a lounge electronic ride. It is nice to hear a very suggestive voice of Remy, another XX member, who gives a very elegant and atmospheric touch to the tune called See Saw. In the second part of the album, she plays even greater role in Loud Places. Perfect rhythm and minimalistic guitar play reminiscent greatest XX moments. The real triumph comes with The Rest is Noise – an instrumental put together so brilliantly it penetrates in each chamber of music lover’s heart. It takes you to a whole other dimension.
From powerful electro beats to extraordinary piano parts and melancholic background noises that trigger Moby and M83, everything on this album is a vehicle that drives you to the nostalgic places you never had a chance to visit in your life.
In the cacophony of half-finished electronic albums out there that music industry is trying to sell as artistic, this album is one of the rare masterpieces. Everything is black and white except In Colour. The rest is noise.
