Odesza
My Friends Never Die
??1/2
Electronic pop
Odesza is an electronic production duo from Seattle consisting of Harrison Mills (aka Catacomkid) and Clayton Knight (aka BeachesBeaches). Its new EP My Friends Never Die sticks to its familiar sound of long, dubstep-influenced bass lines, choppy, pitched vocal samples, and trap-influenced crunchy drum lines that create dream-like soundscapes with an interesting dub twist. Despite all these elements, the EP suffers from a lack of diversity.
“Without You,” the standout song of the EP, features a melody of layered vocal samples, sweeping synths and whimsical bells. “Keep Her Close” is another highlight composed of choppy vocal samples and a powerful bassline. “Home” provides a brief exhale for listeners. A slower song that sounds like it could be a hip-hop beat, it shifts the EP’s momentum.
My Friends Never Die can get repetitive, as each song sounds similar to the last. The songs themselves are composed of loops repeated with slight modification or an added layer of sound as the songs progress. When the tracks are played back to back, this construction makes the EP sound like one long song that doesn’t quite hold interest. Odezsa seems to recycle the formula from its previous album, Summer’s Gone, but adds an emphasis on creating upbeat dance songs.
My Friends Never Die makes great party music, but offers little in the way of innovation to the electronic genre.
— Dixon Ferrell
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