The aesthetics of DIY bedroom pop haven't changed much in the past 30 years. The execution may have broadened a bit and technical ability raised but the feeling that these records evoke remains close to what it was when Daniel Johnston released Songs of Pain. The withdrawal and naive resistance to growing up and the responsibilites which come with that ever problematic time in a persons life have always been at the forefront of these albums. The disconnect between what the artists sees as their place in the world and what they see as society's mandate for them have long been at odds over hushed vocals, an acoustic guitar here and there, and all set down on some form of Tascam 4 track. Of course, as recent releases have shown, the recording process, though still homegrown, has become much more elaborate and technically advanced. With the readily available access to downloadable rips of Pro Tools and Fruity Loops and too many other variations to count, an artist has a much broader array of choices when deciding how best to emulate their influences.
Trevor Powers, the lone man behind bedroom synth pop moniker Youth Lagoon, has taken this dedication to craft very seriously. On The Year of Hibernation, no note feels wasted, no second misused. Powers has taken his love of indie pop and slowed it down, bathed it in hazy synths and effectively simple beats, and created a love letter to the spirit of his influences. Opener "Posters" with its instantly familiar blend of shaky synths and low vocals evokes a guarded childhood where we were never quite knew where we were headed but naively sure it would be somewhere good. This hesitancy which allowed us to question our steps while also looking forward to the next one pulls at the corners of the song, allowing the listener an acute nostalgia regarding their own youth. Other tracks which display his knack for pop dynamics include "July", which intimately documents the collapse of a close relationship--replete with chiming synths and vocals coos, and "Afternoon", a lighter take on the fireworks of close emotional connections which displays a surging beat, for Powers anyway, and grows into something mighty. And across this album, the idea of growing is everywhere, whether this growing is wanted to not. There is an inevitability to life that pushes us forward to some as-yet-unseen future. And we grow. And we live. And The Year Of Hibernation plays out as a soundtrack to that journey.
Tracklisting:
01. Posters
02. Cannons
03. Afternoon
04. 17
05. July (listen to the mp3 below)
06. Daydream
07. Montana
08. The Hunt
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