Flume
Flume


3.0
good

Review

by Will R. EMERITUS
January 11th, 2014 | 75 replies


Release Date: 2012 | Tracklist

Review Summary: In with a bang, out with a whimper

Flume comes in with some sort of downtempo equivalent to a bang. Right from the syncopated accordion-like chords and thumping bass drum of opening track “Sintra,” Flume (22-year-old Australian producer Harley Streten) makes it clear his sound has a point, a composer determined not to get lost in the bevy of hip-hop and downtempo producers making insipid beats for a quick buck or a shot at fame and glory. And, as far as the beginning of the album goes, it seems as though Streten does indeed have something interesting to say. The passionate R&B and vibrant kicks of the anthemic “Holdin’ On” mark Flume as something different: there’s life in his music. The undeniable glow of the album’s exposition is remarkable, and during the opening minutes it’s easy to believe Flume has found his voice. Just take the wonderful Chet Faker feature “Left Alone:” the swanky soul of the sun-drenched chords and claps establishes the song as a standout, a mark of the album’s quality.

However, the excellence of the first few songs ends up as more of a carrot on a stick than an accurate representation of the album as a whole. Continuing the “sun-drenched” metaphor for a moment, if the first bit of Flume rejoices in the summer heat the remainder suffers from severe sunstroke. Streten’s vivacious beats give way to anemia within only a few songs, and the shockingly fast loss of life strikes quickly and leaves a broken album in its wake. The first song following the transition, “On Top,” drenches the dulcet hip-hop tones from before with overbearing sidechaining and a jarring synth lead. T.Shirt’s lackluster rapping and near-total flatness doesn’t particularly help, either, and the clashing vocals and out-of-place chiptune of the prechorus represent the downward trajectory of the rest of the album.

Of course, there’s inevitably something to be said about the album’s lack of presence, especially given the maximalist tendencies exhibited by much of today’s hip-hop beats. The laid-back vibe of producers like Nujabes has fallen out of the spotlight, replaced by the growling basslines of Rustie’s neon-glazed trap. In that regard, Flume is a sort of countermeasure, the anthem of the counter-culture of young people all around the world who prefer natural lights to the artificial, buzzing glare of the clubs. Even the one definitively dancefloor-based tune, “More Than You Thought,” is nothing if not subdued: the quasi-bass-drop and distorted low end rely on a weepy mid-range to provide contrast. Even when making music for dancing, Streten takes pains to keep his production in check: not once does a rowdy synth break free from the confines of sluggish, torpid beats.

Which is how the faults of the album are best explained: all the life present in the album’s inception is squeezed out of the remainder by Flume’s immaculately controlled songmaking. As much as the term “overproduced” is a cop-out of sorts, especially regarding a gleaming final product like this, that heinous word seems to be exactly Streten’s problem: all the vivacity and vigor present in the best downtempo hip-hop-esque LPs is lost somewhere in the sluggishly shuffling hi-hats and jangly claps. Large pockets of the album are unequivocally drab: the aimless bleeps of “Ezra,” the limp arpeggios of “Warm Thoughts,” the bleached, repetitive synths of “Bring You Down.”

It’s understandable that some of the songs on the album have wormed their way onto the radio. The vocal-driven tracks in particular make for excellent alternatives to the 4x4 intensity of most of today’s pop provided on the air, and the summery, laid-back tunes provide a counterpoint to the intensely hedonistic fare typically served. This means, however, that Flume stands as an introduction for many into the realm of downtempo electronic music. It’s easy to listen to and provides an instant hook, but unfortunately doesn’t have the means to sustain the average listener’s attention over the course of its entire runtime. Though it’s unfortunate to label much downtempo “background music,” the term is unsettlingly applicable to Flume in this context. Able to give the listener neither the molly-laden intensity of other radio musicians nor the subtleties and intricacies of some similar R&B- and hip-hop-esque artists (producers like The Weeknd and Bonobo come to mind), the lasting impression of Streten’s milquetoast effort is of an album which is initially sonically pleasing but not much more than that. When Flume fades away with the woozy, drowsy whimper that is Star Eyes, there’s the overwhelming sensation that the album could have been so much more. With the stagnant back end stifling the release as a whole, though, there’s not much to do at this point except hope for Flume to go back to the drawing board.



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3.7
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disappearhere (4)
21 year old Harley Stretan comes out of no where to release an amazing collection of songs that comp...



Comments:Add a Comment 
Brostep
Emeritus
January 11th 2014


4491 Comments

Album Rating: 3.6

s/o to political correctness and Robin inevitably giving this a 4 or higher

Brostep
Emeritus
January 11th 2014


4491 Comments

Album Rating: 3.6

3.5 is greater than 3 yes



but yeah I was really looking forward to this because everyone I know who knows flume at least likes him and I was super super let down

Gnocchi
Staff Reviewer
January 11th 2014


18262 Comments


Nice write up Will, do some metal reviews soon?

GnarlyShillelagh
January 11th 2014


6385 Comments


does will even listen to metal ??

avonbarksdale221
January 11th 2014


8298 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

this is ok, everyone in Aus has such a boner for it though which is kinda annoying.

treeqt.
January 11th 2014


16970 Comments


kids these days

Phlegm
January 11th 2014


7250 Comments


songs sound good live but he can't play a set for shit

Deviant.
Staff Reviewer
January 11th 2014


32288 Comments


I'm still surprised that this is the guy to crack mainstream radio, especially if mainstream radio is willing to play anything like this

cirq
January 11th 2014


9362 Comments


coachelllllaaaaa

Brostep
Emeritus
January 11th 2014


4491 Comments

Album Rating: 3.6

unfortunately metal is just about the one blanket style I don't listen to

ShitsofRain
January 11th 2014


8263 Comments


it's about time i get glass swords

Rev
January 11th 2014


9882 Comments


good review bro

should check this because I never hear people shut up bout it

Douglas
January 12th 2014


9303 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

This obviously got smashed in Aus, and I am happier for it.



if you like this you should check out the Chet Faker/Flume collab ep

SGGreenman
March 24th 2014


1226 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

This kinda rules

Lord(e)Po)))ts
March 24th 2014


70256 Comments


kinda a lot

SGGreenman
March 24th 2014


1226 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

only weak track is intro. rest is stellar

Lord(e)Po)))ts
March 24th 2014


70256 Comments


whole things stella

SGGreenman
March 24th 2014


1226 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Stay Close is my fav

Napolesonic
March 27th 2014


53 Comments


B.I.G x Flume mashup by Jaymee Franchina & Jeremy Smith is way better IMHO

http://jaymeefranchinajeremysmith.bandcamp.com/

treeqt.
March 27th 2014


16970 Comments


ok



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