[ Overview ]
Perhaps an album named Imaginary Audience isn’t the most accurate title for the debut by Mindchatter. The debut by the artist otherwise known by Bryce Connolly is jam-packed with genre-bending jams that will undoubtedly play and resonate with a huge group of people.
Propulsive, bubbling synths open the album on “Blame Game,” where Connolly sings delicately over the sound bed. Shortly after, the drippy “Scared to Go Home” clicks and clacks as Connolly weave in and out of an impressive falsetto.
“Paradise” sounds straight out of 2009, synth voices making “ooh-ooh” sounds, while the backing track sounds like the synthesizer equivalent of the Wheel of Fortune wheel coming to a stop. The track gradually picks up speed as Connolly distorts his voice to sound menacing. As the verses continue, he blends the menacing voice with his speaking voice to create a really unique effect.
“Night Goggles” is something entirely different. Built on a few piano notes, the percussion oscillates as muted horn sounds emerge in the distance. Then, he makes it clear he’s shooting for the stars: “I don't wanna waste my time with trying to feel young/I was there to help invent the sun/And I don’t need to spend my nights with people I don't love cause/I’ve done enough of that shit I’ve done enough/The stars are where I come from and where I will return to when I'm done”. It’s one of the album's brightest moments.
Imaginary Audience is a record with sophistication but still doesn’t manage to take itself too seriously. Case in point, there’s a track called “Google Thinks For Me”. Some of the experiments on the record feel like doodles, others feel like full tracks. If you listen closely, you can hear Connolly chuckling. It’s that sort of free form energy, experimentation, and willingness to try anything that makes this record so memorable.
- Brendan Hilliard, Obviate Media
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[ Album Information ]