'Perpetual Care' has a similar pulse as what goes down on the new Boy Harsher album. Though the songwriting is not as catchy as what goes down on that album. Lyrically, it's pretty simple in the pictures it paints. "Dream 2 Die" is so 80s-sounding it might as well be a Madonna remix. The vocals are moodier here. Her vocal performance is more nuanced, but the arrangements are not poppy. "1996 Expectations" sounds like it is more from the 80s, as the synth sounds captured here nail that era.
It does have a catchier groove.
Things are darker and more neon-lit for "Apogee". "My Own Design" feels like most early 80s pop, so fans of the more mainstream version of new wave will like this one. Conspiracy of Love" finds it working off another solid 80s groove, once again a more pastel mainstream take on the genre. Sure, plenty of current pop artists like Chappell Roan also cash in on this nostalgia, but this is a less corporate vision of that. The choruses are not as catchy as what went down in the 80s. "You Never Called' has a Genesis-like drum pattern, and I am not talking about "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway" either. The vocals are more restrained and tense here.
"Eye For an Eye" coasts on a similar vibe to the previous song. The last song, "One Star One Body," musically feels like one of Siouxsie's poppier moments. Compared to how Siouxsie emotes, this delivery would be almsot considered deadpan. Overall, for what this is, there is plenty of atmosphere and 80s mopstalgia going on, but it's not dark enough for my personal tastes. If you want a moodier, more ethereal take on new wave, this album si worth your time. I will give it an 8.5.
