Album Review: High Highs - Cascades

The word "dreamlike" is often thrown around to describe High Highs' music.

On the contrary, there is a refinement and clarity to the Brooklyn-based, Sydney duo's electro-acoustic-pop sound that speaks to a studious, wide-awake approach to songwriting and production. If you are a glutton for great melodies you'll gorge yourself here: they tumble one after the other on a, well, cascade of echoing synth sounds, sparkling guitar and understated drum loops. The moods are mostly pastel — favourable comparison can be drawn to Bon Iver — though standout track Movement contains a plaintive synth theme that suggests it might share a common ancestor with The Cure's The Same Deep Water As You.