Tropics - Parodia Flare

Tropics - Parodia Flare
	Electronica
	Album 18 September 2011 Planet Mu
	78%

Notes/Review:

The debut album of one Chris Ward, who wrote and recorded the entire record in student digs.

Outrageously mature for an artist in his early twenties, Parodia Flare combines swathes of atmospheric synths and soft drum pads with reverbed electric guitar chords. The album has a twisted, jazz fusion vibe - integrated 50s-sounding surf rock with a more modern production aesthetic.

Ward adds vocals to numerous tracks; limited by his lack of range, he sensibly moderates himself so that his heavily reverbed voice simply melts into the production. Lyrically incoherent, bizarrely you come away thinking you've just listened to an instrumental album.

Not too far removed from the fuzzy, serene amorphous qualities of early Shoegaze, Parodia Flare works on numerous levels and the end result almost certainly belies its spaciously detailed construction. The album washes over you, integrating Rhodes keyboards, horns and phased guitars with shimmering keys to provide a series of lush minimal soundtracks, from which occasionally springs some overtly melodic surprises.

Parodia Flare certainly works better when listened to in its entirety, enabling the listener time to conjure up a mood. A very good debut form Ward, clearly one to watch out for.