For fans of Aphex Twin, Prewn, Venetian Snares, early post rock, and breaking out a cello at the club, Okay that’s a great idea because if I do that then by Melaina Kol explores a fusion of classical sounds and electronic sampling to evolve on this artist’s trademark folktronica sound. Clean orchestral samples from sources like harps, cellos, and flutes take new roles as tiny percussive samples, assembling a danceable groove without using many elements of conventional percussion. The resulting dreamlike structure extends beyond mere aesthetics; thematically, this album dares to hold out hope, imagining a future where something, anything, gets a little bit brighter. Amidst this beautiful dream, familiar sounds become new kinds of comforts, vocals distort while remaining personable, and we see a blurry image of the people we love with smiles on their faces. The road to this place remains obscured, and these images remain confined to dreams. But, deep in our hearts, we know we can get there, and the path was probably right in front of us the entire time.
