Climate change is a deeply depressing topic for me, and thus it’s not super fun to engage with. JOYCUT_ make climate anxiety and climate sadness as palatable as possible (and even offer some hope) on TheBluWave [TimesWhenSilenceIsAPoem – TheIceHasMelted – AndBleedingGlaciersFormOurTears]_.
The thirteen (mostly) instrumental electronic tracks here range from delicate, nearly ambient, piano-driven post-rock (“NOVEMBRE13_,” “ThePlasticWhale_”) to arpeggiator-driven techno cuts (“SAUN_”). Tracks like “TheFirstSong_” and “KOMOREBI_” fuse these two impulses, creating sweeping tracks that blend elements of CUTS’ dark, stark electronic work with Ulrich Schnauss’ maximalist electronic soundscapes. Each of the three types of track are deftly-handled; JOYCUT_ knows how to handle tension and release in each of the three types of tracks.
While the narrative, facts, and commentary surrounding the record are deeply intertwined with climate, the record doesn’t need to be read in that light to be enjoyed. It does shine some hope on the situation, via the warm, major-key “Francis&Violet_”; in other places, the light shines through in other ways . So this is not a grim record in the main, although there are moments of gloom. There are moments of hope amid the climate situation we are in, after all.
As a result of their expert handling of mood, the resulting album feels grand and fully-developed. Fans of almost any type of non-EDM electronic music will find things to love in this record. It’s an excellent offering. If you want to support JOYCUT_’s preferred climate change organization, check out Earth Percent.