The ’80s influenced electro-pop sound has certainly been bludgeoned to death and Idea Of Happiness does not contain any moments that are particularly innovative. With that said, Van She are damn good at what they do. There are several moments throughout the album that inspire a feeling of déjà vu while putting a new spin on the well-worn genre. Those ingredients are a large part of what makes Idea of Happiness so warm and inviting. The songwriting also happens to be inspired by the band’s personal experiences. The positive vibes even extend to the ultra-colourful album cover art, which deserves an A+ on its own.
You can’t help but be in a dancing mood when hitting play on anthems like Jamaica and the cowbell-laced Calypso. While maintaining a consistent electro-pop sound, the Sydney quartet is able to weave in and out of various influences from dubstep and chillwave (is that still a genre?) to arena rock. Continuing on the genre-straddling path two of the albums best moments are instrumental pieces, the Neon Indian-style Radio Waves I and its follow-up Radio Waves II. The album’s only take-it-or-leave-it moment for this writer was the rather trite You’re My Rescue. What you’re left with though is a super catchy collection, perfect for our eventual summer.
BY ANDREW ‘HAZARD’ HICKEY
Best Track: Calypso
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Funkapolitan FUNKAPOLITAN, The Lateness of the Hour ALEX CLARE, Brotherhood NEW ORDER
In A Word: Catchy
