WEDLOCK — Continuity
As difficult as pulling off good electro-pop without sounding cheesy can be, Chapel Hill electronica trio Wedlock’s (www.wedlockmusic.com) latest effort Continuity brings a fresh approach to dance beats while giving a hearty nod to the synth gods of the ’80s at the same time. The smooth, Phil Collins-esque vocals of Paul Allgood provide the jumping-off point for bassist Lee Whitsell and keyboardist Baxter Smith to lay down the full electro spectrum, from trippy house beats to growling, subsonic bass walks. The beats are creative and highly varied from track to track and never once flirt with monotony from the subtle abstractness of opening track “Blameless?” to the icy ebbs and flows of “Safety.” Allgood’s lyricism occasionally leaves something to be desired, though tracks like “World Machine (Universal)” have a charming level of humor to them and there are lots of Easter Egg-variety references to be found within. In this brand of dance music, however, refurbished lyrical themes are easily forgiven, since the idea is fundamentally to think less about what’s being said and focus on the beats-per-minute. That BPM is where Continuity truly excels, as there’s not a single track within that can’t compel someone to their feet. Continuity is driving, exciting and inventive, though it’s just avant-garde enough to stand out.
76/100
