For those who have been watching Hollow Everdaze play the songs that make up Cartoons live over the last couple of years, the thought of finally having studio tracks streaming from a browser – and eventually playing on vinyl – is both exciting and a long time coming.
The Victorians have braved both a studio fire and having their equipment stolen to deliver one of the most cinematic and sonically cohesive albums to land in these parts for a long while. Cartoons features a perfect distillation of strong pop sensibility, heart-melting lyrical themes and lush instrumental arrangement. Put those on a triangular diagram and you usually get to pick only two.
The album touches on themes of tearing down and starting over, letting go of obsession and loss, particularly on near-centrepiece ‘Running Away’, which is a real tearjerker. One abstract interpretation of Cartoons would consider this a break-up album: it’ll help you be you again.
There are so many standout moments on Cartoons, but the biggest triumph is closer ‘Out Your Window’, a two-minute pop song with a stunning four-minute instrumental tail on the end that opens itself right up in a really beautiful way. Wait for the egg shaker; you’ll see what I mean.
It’s a perfect closer to an utterly untouchable debut.
Cartoons is out Friday June 23 through Deaf Ambitions.
