Way back in the long, long ago there was a romantic vision of travelling by plane. Sitting in the departure lounge, sipping a martini then off onto Concorde for a jaunt to New York. I bring this image up as Boston Building’s EP Friend fits perfectly with this jetset age of yuppie cool. This is smart, slick cosmopolitan pop; smooth of construction, elegant in the design and tailored for your comfort and enjoyment.
This amaretto flavoured pop is somewhere between ABCs conviction in the artificial and the faux soul of Bowie circa ‘Young Americans’ with a distinct 21st century gloss of iPhone style. This is sharply attired music; where the plastic is tempered by a skilful approach and a convivial temperament.
Leading this charge is the sumptuous ‘Melody Maker’ which saunters into a widescreen chorus over a sweeping backdrop of strings. Meanwhile ‘Warpath’ night time electro bursts with iridescence, nearly melting into the vocals.’When You Need Somebody’ has the slow glide that became so popular in the wake of the movie Drive, with an evocative, slow-passion build. Title track ‘Friend’ is the slowest and most overwrought, bubbling into a soapy drama.
It’s not all perfect, at times Friend strays a little too far into the realms of the overly auto-tuned and can sound like it should be advertising cars while you’re at the multiplex wondering if the movie you paid £10 for will ever start.
Friend is an EP that rewards with repeated listens and can become a 15 minute package that’ll find your hitting play more than you’d initially expect.
Listen and relax before you leave for New York 1983…
colourhorizon 