Dead Sound & Welcome Worn 7-inches
Chapel Hill, NC
(PotLuck Records)
“Electronic, indie-pop brilliance from North Carolina duo”
Robes features the electro-pulses of members Patrick Cudahy and Chris Williams, masterfully mixing synthesized sounds and organic guitar tones to create an insanely fun fusion of Louisville’s VHS or Beta and Echo & the Bunnymen. The first of two 7-inch singles featured here, Welcome Worn, kicks off with the bouncy, self-titled dance track. Spacey guitar lines tinkle out over wobbly bass beats and stylized ’80s synths. Not to be outdone, the B Side, “Haitian Miracle,” immediately breaks into a Kraftwerk-style electronic drum and synth pattern with a more melodic vocal line than its A Side brother. More interesting, musically, than “Welcome Worn,” the track segues beautifully into a textured guitar/drum/synth breakdown that takes it right through the outro. It’s records like this that can easily turn an indie hipster into a dance club junkie – the songs are simply that good and engaging.
The second of the two singles, Dead Sound, appropriately starts with “Dead Sound,” awash in a sea of Blade Runner-like electronic soundscapes, which quickly part to make room for a more traditional pop song dressed up in an electronic costume. Once again featuring a strikingly infectious melody, the number grooves along against a backdrop of droned out, synthetic textures and jangly guitars – then BAM! An old school saxophone solo, in the most non-ironic way possible, melts into the mix and breaks the track wide open. Perfect. Backed with “Perfect Silhouettes,” another electro-pop stunner, the second 7-inch is the stronger (if only slightly) of the two. Highly recommended.
Format: 45 rpm
Size: 7-inch
Color: Clear and White Vinyl
Engineered by Brian Paulson
Mastered for Vinyl by Nick Peterson