Lauren Matsui is in Seablite, real favorites of mine, and Slumberland Records band Neutrals. Lauren's new project is called Rhymies, and after a wonderful lead single, the full EP, I Dream Watching is upon us. And I'm happy to say that it's a record that's very easy to love.
Opener "Bal Masque" is moody electro-pop, all slinky lines and backwards glances, even as first single "I Dream Watching" is propulsive, with layers of keyboards pushing things forward with a nice insistence. New single "Crashing Lead" hops forward on a bright synth pattern not entirely different from "Since Yesterday" by Strawberry Switchblade. This one owes debts to other Scots pioneers, namely Altered Images. Lauren keeps things fresh with a nimbleness that is refreshing to hear in this kind of synth-oriented material. Closer "The Hesperian (Again)" brings to mind slower numbers from early in Lush's career, as well as faint hints of stuff like Gary Numan and Ultravox.
Lauren Matsui did everything on this Rhymies EP and it's a concise and enormously pleasing EP. Mention should be made to Rick Altieri (Blue Ocean, Above Me) who did the mix here. Still, this is Lauren's show and I can say that I enjoyed this set of music almost as much as I enjoyed anything from Seablite, Lauren's other band. This is the rare kind of past-inspired effort that is not simply an exercise in a kind of ironic trying on of New Wave styles; Rhymies have found something warm and human in these synth-y forms, and Lauren's put forward a deftly-rendered extension of music that for many of us was always timeless. Call it synth-pop, electronica, or New Wave if you want, but this is great stuff! Highly recommended!
The full I Dream Watching EP by Rhymies is out today on Dandy Boy Records. Details below.
[Photo: Jess Lynn Goss]