On Are You Alone?, Majical Cloudz pick up where the exceptionally beautiful Impersonator left off two years prior, and issue more sparse arrangements of hypnotic, minor-key electronics under plaintive cries and intimate observations, like a subdued, post-apocalyptic offspring of the Blue Nile.
With Are You Alone?, Devon Welsh and Majical Cloudz find a way to exist within that gray, to thrive in it, to acknowledge the mortality and the chaos and the gray, and reach out a hand.
A record of gutsy, bare-bones, emotionally charged synth hymns.
Are You Alone? is warm and inviting, the moment where a band sound less like they're performing intimacy, honesty and sincerity than they are, simply, being intimate, honest and sincere.
Are You Alone? extends some of the same sounds of Magical Cloudz's debut album, Impersonator, but the music seems stretched and more expansive.
Never does it wallow or feel desperate, and instead takes a soulful, Michael Hutchence-like approach of tugging at the heartstrings with passionate, swooning sincerity.
The band ... seem to have figured out how to broaden their sound while softening it at the same time, all without losing the detonating high that made Impersonator so remarkable.
The album is ultimately almost too polished, too clean for all of the messy emotions hiding underneath. There are so many moments when the music seems on the verge of exploding, but never does, and that’s ultimately to the album’s detriment.
While Are You Alone? doesn't show a great deal of additional range in his wheelhouse, though wingman Matthew Otto takes a defter touch in its production. Hell, it's even uplifting in parts.
The last would always be the best, and this record, regarded as their swan song is a stark, lyrically rich ode to love and its ruminations. Sparse yet emotionally rich, this would delight art pop fans for its themes and cohesive flow. Downtown was such a great song to fell in love with.
I've known about the song "Downtown" for many years at this point. Decided to give the full album it came from a listen.
It's certainly still the main highlight of this project. While the second half is more consistant, nothing clicks like the mentioned track. Game Show is another (Smaller) highlight of this record.
I've known about the song "Downtown" for many years at this point. Decided to give the full album it came from a listen.
It's certainly still the main highlight of this project. While the second half is more consistant, nothing clicks like the mentioned track. Game Show is another (Smaller) highlight of this record.
1 | Disappeared 3:45 | |
2 | Control 3:21 | |
3 | Are You Alone? 3:50 | |
4 | So Blue 3:49 | |
5 | Heavy 3:29 | |
6 | Silver Car Crash 3:30 | |
7 | Change 4:06 | |
8 | If You're Lonely 3:40 | |
9 | Downtown 4:09 | |
10 | Easier Said Than Done 2:47 | |
11 | Game Show 3:19 | |
12 | Call On Me 3:47 |
#12 | / | Mashable |
#12 | / | The 405 |
#19 | / | Time Out New York |
#23 | / | FasterLouder |
#43 | / | Paste |
#43 | / | PopMatters |
#46 | / | No Ripcord |
#47 | / | Consequence of Sound |
#48 | / | SPIN |
#71 | / | Under the Radar |