Arcadea : "the Exodus of Gravity'

 2017  was the last Arcadea album; the lineup still finds Brann Dailor at the core, handling the drums and vocals, along with Core Atoms on the synths and Mastodon's current touring keyboardist adding even more synths. There is less of a synth wave feel this time around. His drumming is more aggressive. He piles on layers of vocal overdubs to try things he does not normally explore with his day job. The title track would feel more like current-day Mastodon if the synths were replaced by guitars. "Fuzzy Planet' is the lead single and the best of the first three songs, as it takes things in a more new wave Gary Numan direction, while applying some funky grooves. This sets the project apart as a more distinct entity. 

"Lake of Rust" has more drive in its stomping without wanting to look back in the direction of his other band, Brann's vocals have a little more of a rock feel to them. "Gilded Eye" gets a little too weird for its own good, and while this works out in the end as the jam they wander off into captures the prog feel they are going for on this album, the hooks at not as laser-focused. Dailor's drumming is what you want from yet, while showing more restraint than the bombastic performances he is known for. "2 Shells" has more of a groove while toying with space-age sounds. His vocals ride the beat. So far, the heavier groovin' "Galactic Lighthouse" is my favorite song. Though it's clear his day job has influenced the way he hears melodies in his head. 

"Starry Messenger" finds the lamb finally lying down on Broadway and Dailor getting to indulge in the kind of full-on prog that he listens to in his spare time. The main focus becomes the drums racing alongside the synths as the vocals provide an accompanying, coasting ambiance. I do like the magnitude of weirdness that unfolds on this one. What is more prog than keyboard solos? They hit a better stride as songwriters on 'Silent Spores' to find that place prog bands hit in the 80s when they collided with new wave. They do go on the weird side, but it is well-balanced here. 

They indulge their prog side in a more energetic yet grandiose fashion, his drumming speed off to chase the comet at the core of this song."Sparks" is another weird one, so much., They shift the way they mixed this one to fuck with your ears. It finds them in the tug of war I often lament over where bands have to decide between making cool sounds are writing cool songs, and they find a decent compromise more often than not.  The last song, "Planet Pounder,"  goes off into a neon hyperspace. His voice locks into a contemplative croon. It is marginally darker, though, as a general rule this album is more like the sonic equivalent of an Adult Swim cartoon, and not brooding. I will give this one a 9 and see how it grows on me, but I think they made the album they set out to make. If you want something weirder and more grooving than the Masto Dudes this is for you. 

pst388