Album Review: Washed Out - Paracosm

Washed Out is back with a new album and, although 30-year-old Ernest Greene has definitely moved from his bedroom to larger spaces (both physically and sonically), he's still playing the part of the introverted loner getting lost in his own environment. What's nice is that he's let a little sunshine into his studio and it's informing his music in delightful ways. The warped-tape synth work is still the cement that fills all the cracks in his work, but the warping sounds more like subtle heatwaves produced from late afternoon sun than the fog of perpetual sleepiness that pervaded previous album Within And Without, and the acoustic instruments feel fresh. The live drumming adds a vibrancy that informs the album's accessibility and ultimately the whole project feels like a step forward for Greene.

Within And Without seemed to purposely exist within Greene's dream state in order to for him to indulge in blissed out passages that led to nowhere, drifting in and out of each other while he examined his own memory. Paracosm feels like he's letting us in and allowing us to insert our own memories into the narrative. His shyness is still apparent, so maybe he's just leaving the door open for us rather than give us a tour, but there's stuff in here that actually sounds fun, and, better yet, tactile. The title track is a joyfully exuberant romp that ends with folks clapping before fading out into bird calls in a forest. Great Escape has a gentle insistence that feels like he's nodding with you as you walk along together – “I know right? How good is chilling out with your friends!”

Paracosm will fuel very different sorts of parties than Within And Without, but it's still very much designed to be enjoyed with other humans around. Highly recommended.