It almost feels ridiculous to be talking about chillwave in 2013, but it’s hard to describe Small Black without dropping the c-bomb. Having arrived in 2009 with their self-titled, bedroom-recorded debut EP, they put out a glossy debut album in 2011, New Chain, that, while solid, sacrificed some of their scruffy charm for hi-fi sonics. It’s now four years since chillwave’s ‘summer of love’, an eternity in the era of microgenres, and it’s hard to forget that fact while listening to Limits Of Desire.
The album has all the moves: epic synth wash, tinny drum machines, narcoleptic vocals and endless reverb. I’m sure there are tunes and emotions and stuff in there too, but there’s no guaranteeing that you’ll notice them for all the gauzy waftiness that predominates.
Ryan Heyner, the man responsible for said narcoleptic vocals, has a sweet breathy timbre, but he delivers his lines like he’s trying to wake someone up even though he doesn’t really want to: Whenever he threatens to do something really noteworthy, he reflexively pulls back.
There are exceptions, mind. Only A Shadow is an immediate standout on the strength of a glorious, soaring falsetto chorus. Likewise, the cheesy, Fleetwood Mac-in-the-eighties feel of Sophie stands out, both for its more organic instrumentation, and for the fact that the band sound like they’re having a little bit of fun with the whole thing.
Really, Limits Of Desire’s worth as an album comes down to what you ask of it. If you’re looking for lightweight, syrupy wallpaper jams, Small Black have you covered. Others might be disappointed. It’s a beautiful, beguiling album, but it’s as unaffecting as it is undemanding. That it is both of these things is almost certainly no coincidence
BY EDWARD SHARP-PAUL
Best Track: Only A Shadow
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Gemini WILD NOTHING, Tango In The Night FLEETWOOD MAC,
In A Word: Shiny
