Helium

HOMESHAKE - Helium
Critic Score
Based on 12 reviews
2019 Ratings: #779 / 805
User Score
Based on 161 ratings
2019 Rank: #837
Liked by 4 people
February 15, 2019 / Release Date
LP / Format
Sinderlyn / Label
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CRITIC REVIEWS

80
The Line of Best Fit

The album is an ode to minimalism: it sparkles assuredly, without feeling the need for sweeping gestures to achieve great effect.

70
AllMusic

While the album's highlights work on their own, Helium is best approached as a full listening experience, as it feels like a venture into a slightly different world than our own.

70
Exclaim!

A deeply felt, personal album that, like his previous work, should serve as the perfect soundtrack to many a late-night contemplation hour.

70
Loud and Quiet

With his new record ... it’s fair to say that Homeshake doesn’t need to master those vocal acrobatics. ‘Helium’ floats without them.

60
PopMatters

It may be his most honest album, as it sounds lonelier and smaller than any Homeshake album to date.

60
Crack Magazine

At times too lackadaisical to find tangible direction, Helium proves an impressive benchmark of what he’s capable of when he’s focused and sharp. But for now it feels like he’s just waking up.

60
Highsnobiety

While there are moments of intrigue and gentle grooves aplenty, all too often the songs on Helium float by like a pleasant breeze.

55
Under the Radar

On Helium, Segar instead fills these vacancies with dopey synth patterns, his trademark vocal delivery of smooth and borderline erotic whispers and coos sound distant, as if Segar himself wasn't fully committed to what's coming out of his mouth.

45
Northern Transmissions

Helium is another take on lo-fi R&B where the minimalism extends to performance and effort. It’s sleepy without an ounce of dreaminess; solidly produced with not enough catchiness.

35
Pitchfork

The sheer lethargy of Helium at least creates, under anything less than the slightest scrutiny, a coherent experience that can be praised as a “vibe.”

30
No Ripcord

Sagar sounds lethargic and detached, which may be the mood that he's going for; but when he sticks to the same tired motifs, it's hard to feel any more excited than him.

iamnicmoore
30

QUICK THOUGHTS: Sleep-inducing vocals over 90s drum patterns and Minecraft inspired synths. Helium sounds like a deflated balloon in the middle of a dark empty room. This album isn't offensively bad, it's offensively forgettable.

BEST TRACK: ANOTHER THING

WORST TRACKS: *EVERYTHING ELSE WAS EQUALLY FORGETTABLE*

3.0/10

smallpeeble
71

some tracks are nice bgm for studying/sleeping.

MasterCrackfox
61

Like a balloon, this album is pretty and fun to have around for the most part early on. The woozy production and airy vocals are pretty enjoyable even if not entirely mind-bogglingly different. After awhile, like a balloon, it starts to lose its air. It floats around still trying to maintain its shape for a period of time and then it deflates. By the end of this album, it feels like an empty balloon skin lying on the floor. You don't really know what to do with it. You don't want to throw it in ... read more

letskeep
40

srry homeshake, but this is a fresh air but bad

75

Though not reinventing the wheel, Helium is a wonderful dream that gives the exact effect it was going for

Randomaccount12
66

Background noise
Honestly it's just there nothing else much to be said
It's fine

Favorite track: couch cushion

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Added on: November 10, 2018