Summer’s Gone, but ODESZA brings it back with stunning follow up In Return [Review]
The electronic duo’s second album is a steady, soothing musical extravaganza that takes listeners on a journey
Odesza hails from Seattle in the US, and is made up of Harrison Mills, aka CatacombKid, and Clayton Knight, aka BeachesBeaches. The electronic duo was formed shortly after they graduated from Western Washington University. Their sophomore album, In Return, is the championed sequel to their debut, Summer’s Gone.
In Return opens with Always This Late, a song with tribal beats, voice samples and electronic elements. If the exotic ambience of Sundara doesn’t entice you, you will certainly be blown away by the organic textures and sense of camaraderie of Kusanagi. If you’re new to EDM, don’t let the distorted vocals put you off; the fusion between electro, tribal sounds, trance, and other less predictable genres combine for a surprisingly smooth listen.
It’s Only, featuring Zyra, is the apex of the album. It crosses musical borders, flirting with classical, hip hop and electronica. Zyra’s chilling vocals float above a supremely chilled track, driven by a remarkably restrained variant of Odesza’s signature percussive sound. With its samples of violin string pizzicatos and gentle chimes, it’s a fantastic example of the way ODESZA uses various instruments to great effect in their tracks.
Songs like the Grammy-nominated Say My Name, also featuring Zyra, and All We Need with Shy Girls, are filled with upbeat rhythms, hip hop and pop, rounding off a great album.