Review Summary: Nombre: Tres. Partes: Dos.
Superficially, Mouse on the Keys is a goofy name. The aptness of the moniker, however, is swiftly introduced on the Japanese trio's debut. On Tres though, the titular mouse seems to have opted for more languid behavior. It makes sense; being rife with features both vocal and instrumental, space was left for the collaborations, and they mostly pay off.
The two sides of the album are split evenly. Unfortunately, the split doesn't just apply to the quantity within the two halves, but quality as well. Whereas the immediate success of the leader "Clarity" shines with the band's smoother styling and ethereal Irish voices, its counterpart in "Pulse" suffers from a drab tone for nearly five minutes. This is not the fault of the track's singer, Canada's Dominique Fils-Aimé. Earlier on she's the star of "Stars Down", a sultry affair that invites comparisons to contemporary R&B and soul big wigs. Her dynamic voice glides over minimalist instrumentation of piano arpeggios and drums fit for dimly lit lounges. It’s a highlight to be sure.
Tres doesn't leave out the band's more boisterous offerings, following up the soulful aforementioned with the more frenetic sound they may be known for. This is in the form of "Time" featuring Mario of CHON, who takes over the latter half of the song to noodle in the prog manner we would expect. The ten songs of the album are structured in this common way, alternating between the intimate and the lively. Various guitars, percussion, and horns are part of the propulsion, for better or worse.
The stern of the vessel is their ambient and post-rock infusion. E-piano and synths flow beneath the surface while at times being focal points, looming over electronic and mallet percussion. The back half of Tres features the majority of this, including shorter drone tracks that feel out of place if not unnecessary. A long outro puts a bow on the package, featuring Jordan Dreyer of La Dispute and repetitive lines of these electronic aspects. The new age feel once again delivers an odd finale without being representative of the whole.
Tres is a fine offering, though the number of speedbumps increase as the record spins.
