4.5/5 stars
Listen up class: no talking at the back and spit out that gum. Today’s lesson incorporates history, music, a multi-talented Melburnian and a debut album featuring one of the finest female voices in the country right now. Roman Mythology 101 tells us Janus was the god of all beginnings, synonymous with doorways and the opportunities they present. He also had two faces to look towards both the past and present, and at times sported a hipster beard.
Roman Mythology 101 tells us Janus was the god of all beginnings, synonymous with doorways and the opportunities they present. He also had two faces to look towards both the past and present, and at times sported a hipster beard. All of these elements relate to the form and feel of Thompson’s excellent debut LP (besides the facial fuzz, of course).
Following up her work with GL, Axolotl, The Bamboos and Dorsal Fins, Janus allows Thompson to flaunt her more-than-considerable vocal talents in a solo setting. Neo-psychedelia, ’80s synthpop, sparse balladry and layers of distorted, dreamy loveliness provide the backdrop to Thompson’s tuneful talents.
Hazy opener ‘Drift’and the Spector-esque ‘Away Too Long’seduce and spellbind, while first single ‘Arcade’is a honey-drenched slice of synthpop that oozes contradiction. However, the songs benefit most when Thompson gives her vocals some oomph, such as on ‘I Go Over’. This isn’t a sunny synthpop record by any stretch; there’s misery in many of the lyrics (particularly the album closer ‘Losing You’), but despair has never sounded so good.
Ella Thompson’sJanusis out through Hub/Caroline.
