You Can Be My Wave

I was really curious to check this out when it dropped back in February, but it somehow got away from me. I'm thankful that I was reminded of this album as I've been jamming it non-stop for the past three weeks. Heavy Heavy is so fun, so colourful; it feels like a joyous celebration. The production is awesome, featuring both captivating electronic soundplay and organic instrumentation. I am reminded at times of other larger-than-life indietronica acts that I'm very fond of, however, I can also tell you that I don't think I've heard of anything quite like Young Fathers before. The voices that accompany the music are equally as compelling; all three members responsible for some soulful crooning, eccentric rapping and spoken word, as well as some pretty engrossing wails.

The record has an electric first half. We begin with Rice, a 'seize the day' track that feels like waking up with the sun. Many of the song's elements - its foundational loop, the simple sliding bassline, and the gospel group chanting - are characteristic of spiritual work songs. It feels motivating and I get a sense of communal solidarity. The following track, I Saw, has an absolutely killer groove. It begins with just a beat and a galloping bass rhythm that is spread wide across the stereo field. This track continuously builds, adding layers of grand instrumentation and vocals. Then there's Drum which oddly enough doesn't have much percussion aside from some handclaps and a steady bass pulse. Over time, the song opens up; becoming brighter yet still biding its energy. The song eventually explodes with the loud percussion the title promised and we also get some soaring vocals that are quite heavenly. It reminds me of an Animal Collective tune from Strawberry Jam or Merriweather Post Pavilion. Not as psychedelic, but it does share in having an overwhelming, joyful arrangement. We get a bit of a cool down moment on Tell Somebody, which I would compare to an interlude track from M83's Hurry Up, We're Dreaming. We get beautiful organs and some falsetto vocals over muted electronic pads. As the song progresses, the filters start to open up and the song expands into this really grand presentation.

The second half of the record is also fantastic with each song continuing to have its own distinct personality. Although, I'm maybe slightly less excited about the back half as I start to sense a bit of a formula. Every track gets off to a modest start with maybe one or two elements. Then they build and build until it inevitably reaches its grand climax by the end. There's a lot of variety in the sounds and performances which I love, but not so much variety in the structure. As a result, Heavy Heavy can become a little predictable, no longer feeling as spontaneous as the first few tracks do. With that said though, I still very much enjoy this record. Incredibly feel good all throughout with not a bad track in sight. I'm a fan and it might be time for me to visit their earlier work.