Album Review: Passion Pit

Review — By Catherine Hawkes on 19/07/12

“Poignant yet bursting with personality. This is THE album of the summer…”

Passion Pit | Gossamer

On hearing their debut EP Chunk of Change, It’s doubtful that anyone would have predicted Passion Pit to evolve into the indie juggernauts they are today. Surpassing expectations, they fashioned a multi-layered, colorful sound that engaged us back in 2009 with album Manners.  Now the electro pop headliners return with more of their long-awaited, bright and effervescent sound on second album Gossamer with Angeakos hinting that there ‘’is more of a dichotomy between the lyrics and the music. You hear my lyrics more precisely, which is something I was ready for.’’

‘Take a Walk’, the first single to be released from the album, kicks it off with a comforting sense of familiarity to Manners that recaptures the listener after a long absence. It displays comparable synths that drive the song forward but opts for a darker melody alluding to internal struggles and a noticeable lack of falsetto from lead singer Angelakos. The track aims for more honesty and lyrical depth which can be seen throughout the rest of the album.

The frenetic ‘I’ll be Alright’, the second release off Gossamer, is riddled with chipmunked vocals, slashing synths and syncopated beats imitating a style enjoyed in ‘Sleepyhead’. An infectious melody is soon introduced that has all the hallmarks of a hit in the making. The track is the epitome of musical contradiction as it merges explosive optimism amidst lyrics of self doubt, bitterness and manipulation, ‘I won’t let you go unless ill be alright’. It’s that dissonance that Passion Pit has perfected which is a big part of their allure.

The eerie ‘Cry Like a Ghost’ fuses haunting squeals and fuzzy synthwork over a veil of troublesome subject matter within a symphony of experimental sounds and a toe tapping melody that bleeds into the piano pumping rocker ‘Hideaway’ that shines with a cascade of layered synths. The bittersweet ‘Love is Greed’ starts off twinkling with a melodic warmth anchored by Angelakos supple voice, but still struggling with his inner voice, the music masks his pained vocals ‘’love has always been a mockery’’.

The third song to be released off the album ‘Constant Conversations’ sees the band move away from their off-kilter electro pop and experimenting with a synthy RnB tone building a soundscape of deep beats and falsetto harmonies which furiously leads into the pounding ‘Mirrored Sea’.

Elsewhere, ‘Its Not My Fault I’m Happy’ and ‘Where We Belong’ finish the album with an extra dose of emotionality. Longing vocals and tender beats display a gentler side to Angelakos searching for his place in the world.

Throughout Gossamer, Passion Pit guide you through a wide ranging journey which sees their penchant for contagious pop melodies shine through while experimenting with new, more complex moods from electro pop rave-ups to soulful RnB  jams, creating an album that’s poignant yet bursting with personality. This is THE album of the summer.