Label: Glassnote Entertainment Group LLC
Release Date: 19th August 2020
Rating: 8/10
"You barely even need to listen to the lyrics to absorb ‘Identical’’s atmosphere – an irresistibly pounding beat that’ll have your head bobbing from the very first note."
Phoenix are well-known and beloved for their semi-electro indie sound; one that defined the latter half of the noughties for a generation of Skins-loving, carefree music fans bopping along to Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. And latest release ‘Identical’ is just as carefree a bop, penned for the soundtrack of upcoming A24 film On The Rocks, Phoenix’s ability to create that sweeping, movie-montage vibe is as intact as ever.
You barely even need to listen to the lyrics to absorb ‘Identical’’s atmosphere – an irresistibly pounding beat that’ll have your head bobbing from the very first note, a melee of slow-build synths swinging constantly from discordant to utter satisfaction, and the classic Phoenix sonic peak as the texture soars to a maximum.
The vocals, then, are a happy bonus. Frontman Thomas Mars (married to Sophia Coppola, aka the lead of On The Rocks) delivers ever-understated lyrics to juxtapose the high-energy instrumentals, complementing them perfectly. The synths go up, he goes down; the synths strip back to a woozy undertone, Mars’s vocals take centre stage. It’s symbiotic, and it makes for wonderful cohesion.
On The Rocks isn’t due out until October, but if its vibes can live up to 'Identical', then it’s bound to be an uplifting watch. Until then, ‘Identical’ will be spinning in the background, a worthy soundtrack to whatever it is you’re up to for that extra bit of cinematic-ness in your own life.
Words by Ims Taylor.
22nd August 2020.
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