Chairlift: Something

Tags: Chairlift, Columbia, Dan Carey, dream pop, Electronic, New York, Something, synth wave

Columbia; 2012
Dropped by Zach Frimmel

Another synth-pop, chillwave group has emerged from the Brooklyn music scene, though they rode in from Boulder, Colorado to whittle their chances in New York. Chairlift is two partners in chime that are named Caroline Polachek and Patrick Wimberly. The band’s 2005 inception dawned with their first EP, Daylight Savings, which was a precursor to their 2008 dream-wave success Does You Inspire You. Within the last few years, both Polachek and Wimberly were able to remove their inchoate hands out of the rookie jar as Chairlift toured with Yeasayer, as their song “Bruises” launched an iPod nano commercial, as Polachek’s vocals were featured on several singles, such as Washed Out’s “You And I,” and as Winberly dabbled in producing Das Racist’s Relax album.

Although their career and style are still in larvae stages, a maturity has begun to settle on Chairlift’s limbic system. Having contracted with Columbia and collaborated with Dan Carey (Hot Chip, Lily Allen, The Kills) to mix and produce their sophomore full-length, Something, Chairlift is pregnant with dishy and driving kinetic energy. Within eighteen months, they wrote forty songs and narrowed them down to eleven while in the studio. Their John Maus-catchy “Amanaemonesia” was their first single for the album, which Polachek loosely defines as an “invented disease,” in a recent FILTER interview, “caused by overstimulation from online browsing. Resulting in forgetfulness and irresponsibility.” As hauntingly real as the neologism “Amanaemonesia” is, it may properly suit the 80s-nostalgic magic that Chairlift is bubbling in their throwback-revamp cauldron. Judging by the sonic fragrance and flesh of Something, Eno’s ambience, Kate Bush’s vulnerability and Duran Duran’s arpeggiation all seem to be conjured spirits.

Via an interview with dummymag, Caroline describes their musical efforts as a moving “away from the ‘vintage’ aesthetic towards frighteningly forward-thinking stuff, or a stranger mix of the two.” The arrangement of music on Something is common, yet distinct. A rouge of romance can be heard on “I Belong In Your Arms” while a galactic layering of electronic instruments blanket the background of the M83-sounding track “Met Before.” Wherever their exploits lead them, Chairlift is jetting somewhere and is forming Something out of the synth-pop atmosphere.

Mon Jan 23

2 Responses to Chairlift: Something

Erin Marie says:

Wed Jan 25 at 6:12 am

I Am absolutely in love with Chairlift and their new album “Something”. I hope to catch them live soon. They keep getting better and better. My favorite so far is “Amanaemonesia” The video is astounding – http://youtu.be/98XRKr19jIE.

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Sara M. says:

Fri Jan 27 at 5:29 pm

I think this album is pretty great. They’ve come so far from being the “iPod nano” band, you know? I’m really happy for them. This Black Cab Session really sold me on “Something.” Love love love: http://www.blackcabsessions.com/?id=1326294312

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Chairlift: Something

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