Reviews
Tropics
Tropics is a prescient moniker for 20 years old British producer and multi-instrumentalist Chris Ward and his sultry brand of electronic music. Fast forward a couple of synth heavy singles and various remixes picked up by the likes of Pitchfork and you arrive at Ward’s debut album ‘Parodia Flare’. Released through progressive powerhouse Planet Mu, ’Parodia Flare’ represents a distinct departure from Ward’s earlier work. Gone is the transient synth-pop, now Tropics weaves all manner of sounds into his warm, summery narratives.
‘Parodia Flare’ makes gorgeous listening, whether in the background or under a more critical gaze. A swirling cloud of synths, faded vocals and myriad chords weave a thick dreamy mist. Tropics wonderfully evokes those long, languid summer nights, as every instrument leaves behind its own distinct trail. Blurred through the hazy lens Ward constructs it’s hard to resist the album’s woozy call, with tracks seemingly drifting in and out of each other.
‘Mouves’ is a stunning highlight, which sees Ward’s vocals drift in and out of its soaring synths and dancing piano chords. All of which combine in creating a laden swampy effect before drifting off into a moment of weightlessness. ‘Sapphire’ also stands out; imbued with a sense of urgency by the repeating piano refrain and enduring percussion it acts to reorient ‘Parodia Flare’ amidst its own summery slumber.
Despite all this I can’t shake the feeling that ‘Parodia Flare’ sits a little too comfortably amongst its contemporaries. For all its sonic beauty it is Ward’s whispered effects laden vocals that speak loudest, telling the story of an already winning formula done brilliantly well. Again.
Perfectly rendered, there’s an eerie utopian quality to ‘Parodia Flare’, and for all its warmth it leaves me cold. It is nice, beautiful even, but it’s not doing enough. A slice of summer that risks being consumed by the changing seasons.
Words: Joseph Clarke-Knowles
‘Parodia Flare’ is out now on Planet Mu.
