Alternative Synth-Pop

Singles are not always indicative of how an album is going to sound once it’s released, but in this case, Chairlift’s recent singles are excellent illustrations of what their newest album will sound like. Moth comes out on January 22, 2016, and the duo has released a few songs in anticipation of the album, a couple with videos to accompany. And one thing is exceedingly clear – these songs are incredibly dance able and undeniably catchy.

In a world surrounded by pop, it’s easy to get lost in the ubiquity, especially as seemingly mediocre “brands” of pop tend to coat the billboard. Yet, a growing trend of “alt-pop” mounts a slow takeover, with popular artists like Grimes and even Chelsea Wolfe in some respects, this “alt-pop” style is maturing the appetite of pop-fiends all around. And it’s becoming increasingly clear that Chairlift should be included in that transition with splash releases like 2012’s Something.

For fans of Haim or Kimbra, Chairlift offers a unique blend between the two, especially when it comes to genre hopping. The duo seem to enjoy playing between genres. Look to “Polymorphing” for a general illustration. The song encapsulates the song title with some bass grooving in a classically funk fashion throughout the track, a janky guitar line a la Cyrus’s “Party In the USA,” and the vocals are delightfully somber – the longing she sings of comes through expertly through her vocal lines during the chorus.

The confidence and assuredness of Moth counters the occasional apprehension of their previous releases. The songwriting feels more professional, less exploratory than Something, but a growth nonetheless towards a more rounded sound, especially true in vocalist, Caroline Polachek’s skyward high’s and emotional lows. In “Show U Off,” as she sings, “If you’ve got it / let me show it,” it’s clear she got something special.

The inspirations are conspicuously set throughout the album with nods to Prince in album titles, funky guitar lines akin to a Parliament track, and auto-tune, a very particular affliction of pop music – though Chairlift’s use is tactful.

A perfect example would be “Romeo,” a playful track about a woman seductively challenging a young Romeo to chase her. The use of auto-tune is spare and actually adds depth to the track, which is unusual considering that typically it takes listeners out of the track. It’s easy to picture people traversing around the endless circle of a roller rink while Polachek fills the air with whimsy. Very clearly, “Romeo” is highly dance able and undeniably catchy – a skill Chairlift has honed to near perfection.

No doubt, the album title symbolizes some sort of love connection, attraction, obsession maybe, or perhaps it’s about us – slowly ensnared by the duo. It certainly does not take much convincing before it is clear Chairlift has released one of the top alt-pop albums of 2016.