For a band so associated with the Chillwave backlash nonsense, Washed Out seem pretty comfortable right about now. After a well regarded EP, from most crtitcs anyway, Ernest Greene, the man behind the Washed Out moniker, took the experience of constantly defending his own musical output and used that to build upon the sounds of his first full-length. The fact that Greene took what was probably one of the more diffciult times in his life, that being the indie-sphere's blind retiliation against himself and fellow cohorts, Toro Y Moi, Neon Indian, and others, and used that self-defining time to push himself creatively, to allow those same barriers to become opportunites to refine and sharpen his focus is a fairly impressive accomplishment. Many bands, just out of the gate so to speak, could not have handled that extra scrutiny and, let's face it, the downright hositlity towards something which they only wanted to share with others. And as with any artist out to prove him or herself , Greene took what lessens he'd learned from the reception of the Life Of Leisure ep and created what amounted to an iron-willed stance against those who care more about berating a musical idea than in debating the merits of an artists work.
Within And Without stands as a personal statement of intent towards those who'd just as soon condemn Greene for making more of "that" music, than to allow him the time to expand his sound naturally and perhaps develop the intricate nature of what Chillwave may have to offer. Much of the feeling and mood from that first ep shows up here in a slightly more polished and aesthetically creative way. The synths roll and percolate around the delicately deceptive beats and Greene sings/moans above it all, a careful watcher of the ever changing patterns beneath him. "Amor Fati" with its bouncing beat and hazy, inviting vocals allow us to see the free-form nature of what this genre has to offer. This song functions less as an avenue to display his creative prowess, though it is here in spades, than to offer a welcome to those who've come back to see what Greene has in store for them--those who never joined the mass exodus away from the band in the first place. Album opener "Eyes Be Closed" is the perfect introduction to Washed Out's bright, synthy landscape. The pulsing waves of chiming synths wash over the distant vocals as the beat plays catch up and the song lays opens a striking musical vista where there is no intrinsic worry or fears, at least for the time you're there. Greene extends his hand and simply asks you to do the same.
Tracklisting:
01. Eyes Be Closed
02. Echoes
03. Amor Fati (listen to the mp3 below)
04. Soft
05. Far Away
06. Before
07. You And I
08. Within And Without
09. A Dedication
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