Houses weaves a tale of longing within its steadily simplistic beats and soft, electronic keyboard, discovering the line between the native and the modified in its second release, A Quiet Darkness.
The record tells the story of a husband and wife trying to reunite throughout a nuclear disaster and each song takes place in an abandoned house they’ve stayed in during their journey to reconnect. There is even sound recorded from actual abandoned houses featured on the album, which gives a unique authenticity to the imaginary dilemma.
“Peasants” is a standout, sounding slightly more mainstream. Elementary piano chords begin the bewitching melody and Dexter Tortoriello’s drawing voice enters with a digitized beat, picking up the rhythm slightly.
Houses achieves a sense of quiet loneliness and enduring hope with the slower-paced tempos and subtle instrumentation, but the record leaves something to be desired. The musical formula gets repetitive within the songs and from song to song, which can be monotonous and predictable at times.
In almost every track, the keyboard or piano starts with a similar phrase and the electric beat enters the fray along the same time as Tortoriello’s voice. The talent is always present, but the variety is still developing.
Despite the occasional stagnation, A Quiet Darkness gives listeners an encouraging taste of Houses’ true potential and invites them to stick around and see where creativity will take the band next.
Dive Verdict: ???
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