All right I'm check out Lower Dens, a name I know with more than there music they just came up as artists related to War on Drugs. From the first song I'm on the better side of o.k. They are not goth, but only a shade or two happier than the National putting them somewhere in range of hipster apathy ridden Roxy Music. The synth and elctronic tinged drum beat lets "Ondine" wander in. I can an elements that is not unlike the Shins mixed in . "To Die in LA" skips around almost like a Police song, but with more androgyny to the vocals. In fact I had to click around to find Jana Hunter is a woman. the album has some great guitar tones and the cross roads between the electronic elements and the organic is a very blurred intersection.
The smoothed out pop of "Quo Vadis" is easy on the ears , but not as gripping as the other songs as the inital surprise of their sound begins to wane. There is more of a chill wave electronic cruise control to "Your Heart Still Beating". This songs weaves it's way into a more interesting wave of sounds as it progress, thats not going to be like many things you have heard before until it breaks back down into the vocals . "Electric Current" feels like it flows somewhere between Siouxsie and Gary Numan. The groove would be thicker if the bass was more present in the mix.The static synth chords help hold the tension.
There is a darker and looser feel to " I am the Earth". The drums are somewhat spactic in this giving it an jazz like feel. A sleek dancey future pop kicks in on " Non Grata". The guitar becomes more adventurous as well. This contrasts the dreamy gallop of " Company" that coasts along with a brisk swiftnees before the songs builds into an odd rythmnic slant. The album closes with a brisk post-punk pace that has far more ambiance to it.These guys and gals are onto something I am not sure that it hits me with the same flare that the War on Drugs does , but I will give this one an 8.5. Not sure it will make the iPod cut.
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