I have to say writing this review was a difficult one. I wish my computer was set up like a key-tar so I could have strapped it to me on the dancefloor, or at least while I bounced around the privacy of my own homestead.
Warren Fischer and Casey Spooner have been working in their labs for a while now and have, in the process, devised a genius formula dripping with layer upon layer of electronic tones, organic instrumentation, and the unique essence of sweet melting honey from the Casey vault. But there’s more to booty shaking (albeit an irresistible urge) on this Odyssey release. The topic of war arises, but there’s still the question of whether it’s a political satire or just another chemical experiment.
Either way the duo’s five year anniversary celebrates just how far they’ve come in the career path of pop-stardom-meets-the-gritty-pavement-of-music-making. Screw the big budget, action flick reasons to get surround-sound in your swinging bachelor/bachelorette pad. Odyssey is more than a reason to head to Best Buy. Echoing sonics swirl around in and around your ears while austral beats meet the heart head on. And like an intriguing movie thriller, filled with plot twists that fuck with your head, repetition is necessary in order to absorb the many facets of their production masterpiece.
At the same time, they are moving away from the production only, electropunk glitter and going full force towards more the traditional aspects of pop and rock music. The making of Odyssey results with this new formula of warm orchestration, from the twinkling harpsichord and stringed desperation of “Ritz 10” to their live shows. Gone are the kitschy days of lip synching their own songs, but it is a move in the right direction, and one can only hope that they bring it to Denver sometime in the future.
