Write a review of the new Sylvan Esso album and get an early listen? Y.E.S., please.
Printed in BristolLive’s April Issue:
Sylvan Esso – What Now?
The second full length album from the North Carolina duo of Amelia Meath and Nick Sanbor is a complex layering of glitchy dance tracks, ambient soundscapes and electronic rock while staying close to the electronic base of previous releases.
The sonic expansion from Sanbor gives the album a depth where you’re hearing Sylvan Esso’s interpretation of a rock track, like on “Song”, and with new song stylings that showcase Meath’s vocal range, such as ‘Slack Jaw’. This, coupled with bringing in more analog samples featuring acoustic guitars and stripped back drums, only aids in progressing the duo’s sound.
What Now? is an electronic record at heart, but one that wants to do more than just get you dancing.