STACK #212 June 2022

MUSIC REVIEWS

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Caroline Polachek and Flume

– and completed Palaces . Are Caroline Polachek’s vocals the sole reason Sirens earned its title? We initially believed so, but rather than the mermaid variant, here 'siren' actually refers to the constant ambulances Polachek heard racing by while she was living alone in London during the pandemic. “And if I could/ I'd raise my arm/ And wave a wand/ To end all harm...” – lyrics convey a magical sentiment while the beat slowly builds, eventually cranking like a rollercoaster train scaling a super-steep track. Renowned for creating bangers that are somehow simultaneously futuristic and sentimental, Flume enters Aphex Twin-level glitchy sonic terrain on tracks including Get U and the Virgen Maria-featuring Only Fans . Elsewhere, opener Highest Building ’s soaring undercurrent makes us feel suspended in space, and the stuttering DHLC amplifies into booming bass that threatens to blow speakers. But Flume’s trademark skittish, fractured beats don’t categorise every single song on Palaces , which – in some ways – translates more like a mixtape than his previous Hi I’m Flume mixtape release (2019). (Future Classic) Bryget Chrisfield

Harry Styles Harry's House Harry’s House – which comes three eventful years after 2019’s Fine Line – draws us deeply into the domicile of Harry Styles’ world. Though there are parties in some rooms, the English pop phenom spends just as much time – maybe more – meandering through his abode’s more contemplative spaces. You won’t find him bouncing off the walls or skating maniacally across floors Pippi Longstocking style: yer boy has grown up. The most distinctive element of the album is Harry's eschewing any pressure to belt or over-emote; there's sensitivity in every choice (both vocal and instrumental). From the crystal-shower of Little Freak to the squidgy chunk of funk Cinema to the deadset astonishing ballad Matilda , Harry's House presents life in beautiful, unabashed motion, along with a reminder there’s more to be lived. (Sony) ZKR Ball Park Music Weirder & Weirder One of the more delightful things in life is being able to instantly recognise a Ball Park Music record from the very first track. On Weirder &Weirder , the Brisbane outfit continue their development and refinement of the sound we have come to associate and celebrate with Ball Park Music: eclectic and imaginative lyrics, a fuzzed-out, droning guitar line, and lead singer Sam Cromack’s half-spoken, half-yelled, elongated vocals high-stepping over the top of the instrumentation. One of their stronger and more cohesive releases in recent years, Weirder &Weirder showcases Ball Park Music’s sublime ability to continue to create some of Australia’s most engaging indie rock, even after all this time. (Prawn Records) Jacqui Picone

FEATURE ARTIST

lockdown – he became a bird fancier. Fittingly, this album’s titular Damon Albarn-featuring track opens with birdsong field recordings before a warped, plaintive synth melody taps into planet Earth’s ongoing suffering. After having “ping-pong balled around the world the past ten years almost”, Streten escaped LA just before the world shut down, returned to his native Australia, found digs in a NSW coastal town – where he would often ponder Mother Nature’s perspective

Flume Palaces Globe-trotting electronic wizard Flume (Harley Streten on his passport) has shared that – like many during

Angel Olsen Big Time Throughout her career, Angel Olsen has been a master of catharsis, transfixing audiences through sharing a vulnerability that has never been short of astounding. Her sixth record, Big Time , is no exception, its lyrics written in the wake of Olsen coming out as queer and the passing of both her parents. Unpacking these life-changing experiences sees Olsen’s songs reach staggering apexes of emotion, instruments steadily building on Right Now and All the Flowers , before erupting with an intensity that punctuates the album’s rawness. Sonically, the record detours from the synth-based production of her last EP Aisles , instead embracing her alt-country roots, though it strikes the perfect balance between experimentation and staying true to the genre. (Jagjaguwar/Inertia) Holly Pereira

MUNA MUNA

Foals Life Is Yours Oxford indie-rockers Foals

On their third – and arguably best – record, MUNA have created a beautiful and gripping portrayal of what it means to be queer in the world, exploring self-definition and catharsis, while also navigating faltering relationships and self doubt. Runner’s High is a true standout (on an album that is so cohesive it almost feels wrong to single any track out), with stomping synths and ethereal vocals dancing around each other to create a heavenly partnership, it’s impossible not to imagine it being right at home in any nightclub in the late '90s. Otherworldly, engrossing and utterly true to form, MUNA is another beautiful collection from a band who seem incapable of delivering anything other than musical splendour. (Saddest Factory) Jacqui Picone

capture the hedonism of a night out on their seventh record, an exhilarating collection of songs primed for the dance floor. Opening with the euphoric title track, the band highlight their dynamic instrumentation which boasts joyful synths and masterful percussion to set the tone of this record from the outset. Charismatic frontman Yannis Philippakis gives a spirited performance throughout, his distinctive vocal matching the energy of the infectious Wake Me Up before taking on a captivating falsetto on Under the Radar. Both atmospheric and boisterous, Life Is Yours is an exhilarating ride, a dichotomy that serves as the perfect summation of what Foals are all about. (Warner) Holly Pereira

82 JUNE 2022

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