Electronica husband-and-wife duo Smaller Hearts released their debut album of the same name last Friday. After Kristina Parlee and Ron Bates began the project with their “Summertime III” single, they’ve returned with a heavily experimental LP that, in a sentence, is best described as “pregnant synthwave.”
After kicking off with the aforementioned single, the following track “Lost Words” perfectly captures the overarching theme of experimental electronic with a beat that makes you bob your head up and down, soothing vocals, old-school analog-sounding synths and crunchy computer noise in the background as though you’re bearing witness to a digital excavation. With a runtime of 4:49, the longest track in the album makes perfect use of every microsecond to convey the auditory journey we’re in for.
Following “Lost Words” is the shortest track, clocking in at just 50 seconds, “Crossing.” Taking tools from “Lost Words” and giving them a minimalist touch, “Crossing” uses a slower, pause-ridden beat along with ominous, crackling synths, making it sound like a transition.
“Maisie” revives the head-bopping quality of the beat with a dichotomy of synths; one that carries the gentle, industrial buzz we’re familiar with, and one that sounds like a spotlight being shone down on a flower petal. The titular subject, “Maisie,” is praised for her ability to make the singer feel happy.
“The Ups and Downs of Forgetting Everything,” my personal favourite, is an excellent tune to relax to, with a slow-but-not-too-slow beat and a melodic synth taken right out of your favourite RPG.
Elsewhere, “Chipper” brings a shot of spunk to the album with heavy electric synth and “Hibernation” brings a groove-worthy beat that is overpowered by a loud, unwavering synth that would go great with a sunbathe at the beach. In addition, “Climbing” omits the beat entirely in favour of a slow-paced mashup of all the synths and noises we’ve encountered thus far, including the background computer crunch that happens upon notation so as to join the rest of its percussion-free brethren.
“Summertime IV” takes a different route from its predecessor, presenting us with a gentle electronic lull that would pair nicely with a walk of any kind, be it a beachside stroll or a walk through a winter wonderland.
“U10G” brings the focus to the experimental nature of the album with the fastest beat. During a short period of the track, only the light-sounding synth can be heard, and its conclusion is heavy-hitting with some of loudest digital bells and whistles in the album
Rounding off the album is “The Year We Spent Awake.” Taking a page out of “The Ups and Downs of Everything,” the final track largely abandons the electric, digital synths that have had the majority of ear-time so far for a lighter, wind-esque sound that gives the illusion of relaxing on a cloud.
With their bold experimentation, plethora of styles and utilization of synths (both analog and digital), Smaller Hearts is a splendid debut album from Parlee and Bates.