Author: Polyvox Magazine

  • GALLERY & REVIEW: Vampire Weekend with Geese at KEMBA Live! 6/2/25

    GALLERY & REVIEW: Vampire Weekend with Geese at KEMBA Live! 6/2/25

    Photos and words by Jack Foley

    Vampire Weekend

    Geese

    SHOW REVIEW

    For the first time in over a decade, Vampire Weekend returned to Columbus on the second leg of the Only God Was Above Us Tour, corresponding to the title of their latest LP. The band was joined by the incredibly talented Brooklyn-based post-punk outfit Geese, whom I had the pleasure of photographing last year during a performance at A&R Music Bar here in Columbus.

    Geese’s live performances often outshine their already impeccable studio recordings. The group knows how to work a stage, and seeing them at a much larger venue really showcased their abilities. The group performed most of their popular tracks, such as “2122” and “3D Country,” which were well-received by the crowd. Frontman Cameron Winter hinted at an upcoming release by the band, which I anticipate will likely be one of my top albums for 2026. Of the nine songs performed, four were unreleased. From what I heard of their new work, Geese is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon, and we cannot wait to see what they have in store for us next. Geese has grown substantially in popularity since I last covered them, and their success is much deserved.

    Vampire Weekend have always been one of my favorite bands–one of my first physical records in my collection was Modern Vampires of the City, which I played endlessly on my Crosley suitcase record player. I had the poster of the album cover on my wall until I left for college. I have wanted to see the group for a very long time, but have always been unable to make it happen. What better time to see them than now?

    The band opens with “Campus” off their self-titled record, setting the energy for the rest of the show. Chris Baio’s bass tone is great, his dance moves quirked-up as ever. Immediately, I am blown away by the band’s performance. They sound almost identical to the recordings, and maintaining this throughout a 90-minute performance is quite the feat. The only other time I have seen two drum kits live was during local Columbus band Nodes’ performances. Vampire Weekend incorporates the industrial aesthetic everywhere from the stage props to the high-vis vests worn by the crew, which I found to be a great touch to the atmosphere.

    Baio’s fingers somehow aren’t cramping after “Holiday;” the bassline is unwavering and perfectly intonated. The set continues, arriving at “White Sky,” which admittedly, I thought Ezra Koenig would have to alter the song with the high notes in the chorus. I was completely wrong. He hit those notes with perfect pitch, and this was arguably one of my favorite songs of the evening. Other notable tracks of the night were “Cousins,” “Diane Young,” and everyone’s autoplay favorite, “A-Punk.”

    I feel like I may have slept on OGWAU as a record. The live performance of songs such as “Prep School Gangsters” and “Pravda” encouraged me to put this back in my rotation, and now I’m kicking myself for not blaring it in my car sooner. It’s perfect summer driving music, the light, effervescent melodies and choruses are unmistakably Vampire Weekend. If you haven’t given it a listen yet, I recommend it. The song titles are almost painful to say out loud when discussing the album with other people, but if you can get past that, you are in for a wonderful listen.

    Vampire Weekend uses their encore slot to attempt cover songs requested by the audience. As soon as the band comes back on, fans raise homemade signs with requests everywhere from “Gary Come Home” to “Steely Dan.” Notable attempts include B52’s “Rock Lobster,” Jane’s Addiction’s “Been Caught Stealing,” and A-Ha’s “Take On Me.” Of course, no VW show would be complete without “Walcott” to close out a night of incredible music.

    Vampire Weekend has been on my concert bucket list for well over a decade now, and I can say confidently that any post-concert depression is overshadowed by the incredible performance put on by both Geese and Vampire Weekend. This is not a show you want to miss, and if you can’t make it this time around, I promise, it is well worth the wait.

  • Ten Underrated Gay Songs

    Ten Underrated Gay Songs

    Written by Jenny Hanover

    Happy pride month, Polyvox readers.This is a very special month for many, including myself, because if you couldn’t tell from my column on this site that you definitely read religiously, I am a lesbian. Being gay is the greatest gift I’ve ever been given, and every brand new day I get to wake up and unwrap it all over again. If you’re a queer person or just someone who is interested in hearing a few new queer tracks, I have compiled a list of ten lesser-known songs that are either directly about being gay or alluding to it. 

    One thing that’s different about this list is that not all of these songs are necessarily a celebration of queerness (ironic, I know, because I’m doing this in the name of pride). There are enough lists like that, and they’re just as important as this one, but this is a list of songs that portray queerness in everyday  life,which makes for a great listen regardless of how proud you might be feeling any day of the year. 

    10.  Nick and Joe- Chris Acker

    A lesser-heard track from his album Odd, Ordinary, and Otherwise, Nick and Joe is a bittersweet tale of two gay men breaking out of fear and growing old together, a privilege that so many queer elders have had unfairly taken from them. 

    9. I Spent My Last $10.00 (On Birth Control and Beer)- Two Nice Girls

    There’s really not much to say here, this song is about how being a lesbian fucking rocks so crazy hard, and it’s funny, too.  

    8. Cryin’ These Cocksucking Tears- Lavender Country 

    Patrick Haggerty, better known as Lavender Country, is a pioneering artist in the queer community whether you know it or not. Lavender Country’s 1973 self-titled album is widely considered to be the first openly gay recorded country music, and while it’s full of pride anthems like Come Out Singing, this song is a tongue and cheek anthem about how annoying cisgender straight men are. It comes right out of the gate swinging- I’m fighting for when there won’t be no straight men. This song is a big fuck-you to the heterosexual expectations and bad male behavior of the 1970s and beyond.

    7. Carol- Merce Lemon

    Local music alert… well, at least local for me, here in Pittsburgh. If you haven’t heard about Merce Lemon yet, it’s time to study up before you get left behind. Carol comes from the 2018 EP Girls Who Jump In, which is packed with songs that could be on this list. I like this one because of the sort of bridge towards the end- I won’t see another girl- you’re my forever more- I won’t see another girl. This song is not coy or allusive- it’s about a physical relationship with a woman. 

    6. Jason- Perfume Genius

    Ugh. This song is so fucking sad. A story about gay male discovery, two young men have a sexual encounter that is decidedly a little one-sided. Jason, the man the narrator is being intimate with, won’t take his clothes off- not even his boots. He’s scared and exploratory, just for it all to be cold and closed off in the morning. If you’ve also been experimented on like a lab rat on other people’s sexual journey, this song hits close to home. 

    5. Sappho- Frankie Cosmos 

    When I have a crush, this one’s a go-to. A voyeuristic song about yearning through an open window, asking rhetorical questions that someone is too busy reading Sappho to hear.  

    4. My Very Own You- Little Big League 

    Michelle Zauner of current Japanese Breakfast fame was in this awesome band called Little Big League. Tell me all the parts I conquered first, because I know your kind, you’re a bad, bad girl. My very own you. Mhm. 

    3. Take Ecstasy With Me- The Magnetic Fields 

    The Magnetic Fields are one of my favorite bands. In fact, they might actually be my favorite band. Stephin Merritt writes songs that have queer undertones, but themes of queerness in his music are often non-linear, with songs sometimes appearing to be heterosexual or containing a bait and switch of sexuality. This song is pretty cut and dry, talking about the innocence of childhood and the sometimes brutal reality of queer adulthood, talking about getting beat up “just for holding hands”.

    2. Rats- Pillow Queens

    A lot of queer representation in music celebrates the magic of queer intimacy and relationships, which is something our culture is in dire need of. However, in day-to-day life, a lot of queer intimacy is just like heterosexual intimacy. That is, it’s careless or annoying or meaningless, it leaves you with hurt feelings and causes you to act out of boredom. That’s really just the human condition, which transcends sexuality. A loser girl or non-binary person can make you feel bad about yourself just like a loser boy. This song makes me think of those nasty feelings, brought to life by all-queer band Pillow Queens.

    1. Flower of Blood- Big Thief

    Adrianne Lenker is a master of her craft, plain and simple. Flower of Blood is a subtle, revelatory track about queer sexual intimacy that pulls the net in and catches every little feeling that comes along with it. It’s the perfect song for this list because it does what every college writing professor wants you to do- show, not tell. This song makes me sweat. 

  • GALLERY: Malcolm Todd at KEMBA Live! 5/28/25

    GALLERY: Malcolm Todd at KEMBA Live! 5/28/25

    Photos by Trishna Chettiar

  • REVIEW: Skeletá by Ghost

    REVIEW: Skeletá by Ghost

    Written by Jacob Cook

    Skeletá – Ghost (via Bandcamp)

    Skeletá is the newest project by the Swedish heavy metal/arena rock group Ghost, led by lead vocalist Tobias Forge. The group is known for their theatrical approach to their art with Forge portraying the pope of a satanic church and his fellow musicians as nameless ghouls. Skeletá is the sixth studio album from the group and is hot off the heels of their concert film Rite Here Rite Now which released in spring of last year. 

    “Peacefield” opens the new record and era for the group in dramatic fashion with melodic and grandiose riffs alongside Forge’s booming vocals. The track is a clear turning point both sonically and lyrically with more pop-oriented sounds and hooks, a sign of what’s to come later in the track list. Forge did an excellent job of bringing his signature passion and energy to the vocal performance along with fantastic instrumentation that carried that energy well. The same cannot be said about the songwriting here though. “This is what dreams are made of [t]his is what they’re afraid of” is reminiscent of a Disney musical tune, nevertheless, there are far worse offenders later in the record. Notwithstanding this, I didn’t think this track was a terrible opener.

    It’s hard to talk about this project without discussing the first teased single, “Satanized.” Many times, when experiencing new music, it takes a few listens before it really grows on me, but this track had the opposite effect. The more I listen to this song, the less it appeals to me, specifically the choruses. I don’t think it’s a complete flop, as it certainly has its high points. I loved the guitar aesthetics and the solo midway through scratched that 80’s rock/metal itch. Additionally, I thought the Latin chanting in the interlude portion of the song added a nice thematic touch (even if it was brief). While Ghost is known for their theatrics, this track felt too over-the-top and got old quite quickly for me.

    On a more positive note, I found the fifth track, “De Profundis Borealis,” to be quite enjoyable. I loved the soft keys during the intro that gave way to powerful crashing percussion that unfolded through the rest of the track. The choruses and verses felt very well executed, not too over-the-top but still catchy and melodic. It feels like a breath of fresh air coming off the excessive first half of the record. By toning down the theatrics slightly, it let the percussion and lyrics shine in a new and refreshing way. I thought this track was a unique formula tweak that paid off well (which unfortunately cannot be said about the next track discussed) making this track one of my favorites on the record.  

    I don’t think I can discuss this record in good faith without referencing the elephant in the track list, namely, “Missilia Amori.” To put it briefly, this one is rough. There’s nothing groundbreaking instrumentally here with the group’s typical sound and aesthetic. Further, I thought the percussion was quite uninteresting compared to what we heard in “De Profundis Borealis.” Forge has written some lyrics of questionable quality in the past, but “[l]ove rockets, shot right in between your eyes” and “[m]y missiles are aimed to launch at your heart” are certainly strong contenders here. This whole track gives off cheesy 80’s hair-metal vibes in all the wrong ways. If you’re looking for a 4-and-a-half-minute laugh (or cringe) this may be for you.

    The final track I wanted to discuss was “Marks of the Evil One.” This track scratches a unique itch that I had been waiting for throughout the whole record. One reason I love Ghost is Forge’s ability to construct a track around a concept or period (this is especially evident on their previous project, Prequelle). I loved how biblical themes and imagery of death is portrayed here and it is catchy. This track is energetic and is reminiscent of my past favorites from the group. I would kill to see this one performed live as it’s super fun and infectious. 

    Putting it bluntly, this project was a bit disappointing, with its primary weakness being songwriting.  Tracks like “Missilia Amori” were tough listens, and others like “Satanized” played themselves out with how over-the-top they were. Additionally, Forge’s comments leading up to the album, like “I didn’t really put much like regard into trying to write” (Rolling Stone) only soured my perceptions of those tracks. While the instrumentals were fine for the most part, they’re nothing we haven’t seen from a Ghost project in the past. Maybe my strong attachment to previous projects like Impera and Prequelle set my expectations too high for this project, but I just wasn’t wild about it. It is important to note this record is the first of theirs to reach #1 on the Billboard 200, so it’s possible I’m out of touch with these takes. However, I will say that in comparison to those previous projects, the group chemistry doesn’t seem to be quite there. Forge’s comments in Rolling Stone saying “I’m technically a solo artist. I don’t have to think in terms of a group, but everybody needs to understand that my job is a group effort” (Rolling Stone) lead me to believe that that chemistry might be gone for good. Time will tell how the group’s sound evolves but this one just wasn’t it for me. 

  • Smallpools with Rec Hall & Tana Matz at Newport Music Hall – Columbus, OH, 5/16/25

    Smallpools with Rec Hall & Tana Matz at Newport Music Hall – Columbus, OH, 5/16/25

    Photos by Jack Foley

    Smallpools

    Rec Hall

    Tana Matz

  • GALLERY: Sloppy Jane with Riot Riders – Rumba Cafe 5/13/25

    GALLERY: Sloppy Jane with Riot Riders – Rumba Cafe 5/13/25

    Photos by Trishna Chettiar

    Sloppy Jane

    Riot Riders

  • Squid – A&R Music Bar, Columbus, OH 5/14/25

    Squid – A&R Music Bar, Columbus, OH 5/14/25

    Photos by Jack Foley

    Squid

    FearDorian

  • REVIEW: Radio DDR – The Sharp Pins

    REVIEW: Radio DDR – The Sharp Pins

    Written by Jacob Cook

    Radio DDR – The Sharp Pins (via BandCamp)

    In late March, Radio DDR, the second studio album by Kai Slater, was newly re-released under the moniker Sharp Pins. Originally recorded in the spring of last year, the record was released on cassette but is now seeing a full release on LP and streaming (with an additional 3 tracks). Far different from Slater’s work in art-punk group Lifeguard, his solo work takes on a more lo-fi pop-rock sound.

    I particularly enjoyed the energy and liveliness of the fourth track, “If I Was Ever Lonely.” This track perfectly encapsulates that 1960’s British invasion rock that flavors the instrumentals and aesthetics of this record. The guitar tones feel incredibly fuzzy and warm here and, when combined with the brilliant percussion, make for an incredibly fun listen. I also loved the romantic themes playing out on this track. They’re not quite as on-the-nose as in tracks like “Lorelei” but they communicate that feeling of love-stricken desperation so well. This track has a ton of character and is super fun which makes it an easy favorite of mine.

    Another favorite of mine is the proceeding track, “Circle all the Dots.” I really enjoy how Slater communicates melancholy through his music and this track does so exceedingly well. Slater describes a fading romance in this track through his poignant lyricism and riffs that intensify during the vulnerable choruses. I really enjoyed how Slater characterizes the growing schism in the relationship as a physical gap between them in the choruses, at one point even questioning if he actually wants to be with this person (“Do you want her [o]r are you dreaming?”). I highly recommend this track to any melancholia fans.

    The next track, “Sycophant,” is another phenomenal showcase of Slater’s unique melancholic sound. Unlike other tracks, this one is a somber acoustic cut with a lone guitar backing Slater’s soft vocals. This track feels incredibly vulnerable recounting the emotional damage for both individuals in a failed relationship. I loved the lyric “I’m the only one that knows you now” that closes out the second verse in reference to the sycophant. This last line felt so incredibly poignant. I found the acoustic aesthetic of this track does very well to draw your attention to the incredible lyrics and vocal performance. If you listen to no other track on this record, I’d recommend this one.

    Another personal favorite of mine is “I Can’t Stop.” I really enjoyed the conflicting emotions and yearning that Slater communicates here. There’s an interesting shift from the first chorus where he regrets thinking of this person; to bearing to think about them in the second; then being completely unable to stop thinking about them in the outro. As with many other tracks, Slater uses that familiar fuzzy guitar tone giving the track a nostalgic feeling. Overall, I found this track was just a fun listen with a unique mini narrative that underpins it.

    Finally, I found the closing track “With A Girl Like Mine” to be quite enjoyable. This one is a bit on the softer side with the familiar guitar aesthetic but without percussion giving it an almost folksy sound. I really enjoyed the vocal performance here, especially the choruses, which sounded wonderful. The whole track felt reminiscent sonically of “A Hard Day’s Night” but with that sweet melancholy that Slater has delivered previously. I think this is a fantastic track to close out the project.

                   From start to finish this project is incredibly fun with its unique and nostalgic sound. Fans of old-school rock and the soft ballads of groups like the Beatles will find this project very familiar with quite a bit of character. I absolutely loved Slater’s playstyle and production on this record. The warm guitar fuzz and soft percussion made each track sound warm and pleasant. I found the melancholic acoustic cuts interspersed throughout the record to be incredibly well written both compositionally and lyrically. Slater’s lyrics felt incredibly poignant yet subtle, letting the listener fill in the gaps with their own experiences. By far my favorite track on the record was “Sycophant” with its beautiful acoustic instrumentation and soft heartbreak-tinged vocals. My least favorite track was “Lorelei” as it felt very on-the-nose and uninteresting lyrically, but to say this track takes away from the record would be inaccurate. This record was my first introduction to Slater’s work and to say that I’m impressed would be a great understatement. If you’re in the market for a soft rock/pop record, this record is a perfect candidate with a ton of personality.

  • REVIEW: MAYHEM – Lady Gaga

    REVIEW: MAYHEM – Lady Gaga

    Written by Alex Lopez

    MAYHEM – Lady Gaga (via Discogs)

    Let me be very upfront with y’all–this means something to me. While y’all were saying “Goo goo gaga” as y’all’s first words, I was on YouTube looking up Lady Gaga VEVO, and some of y’all don’t even know what VEVO is. I was watching the Paparazzi music video on repeat. I claimed the song Alejandro was about me. On the multi-day trips to Mexico, I blasted Telephone in the mountains. I was studying Lady Gaga’s dance moves, I was reacting to the meat dress, I was watching the “Lady Gaga exposed as illuminati” videos, and one of the first songs I bought on iTunes was Applause. And while I haven’t kept up with Lady Gaga since Artpop, best believe that I was there when a lot of y’all weren’t. 

    After taking a hiatus from music to focus on her acting career, which saw her win an Oscar for A Star is Born, Lady Gaga is back with her new album MAYHEM, ready to reclaim the nachos she’s let others have for so long.

    MAYHEM is littered with 80’s style synths, groovy production, and modern EDM style club bangers, with elements of triphop, R&B, and country throughout the album (see on the guitar on Abracadabra, which sounds like a line dancing riff). MAYHEM, as noted by Gaga, follows an electro-grunge atmosphere throughout, but still wears its influence of 80s pop on its sleeves. The production on this album feels refined while not suffocating Gaga’s singing. Nearly all of the production features Cirkut, who worked on 360, Rewind, and 365 from Charli XCX’s BRAT and watt, who has worked with just about every pop star who’s charted. While Cirkut carries over some Brat influence on MAYHEM, the record is more influenced by the era of Rick James, Prince, and Michael Jackson club hits that are all over the keys and basslines on this album. One producer who was mostly missing with me but has one hit was Gesaffelstein, who is featured on easily the worst track on the album–more on that later.

    MAYHEM mixes 80s pop and club records with elements of grunge and industrial rock to create uniquely produced tracks, all with their own style and quirks that create a hard-hitting and groovy album. Lady Gaga is amazing on all tracks while making it seem so effortless for her. Notable highlights for me include Shadow Of A Man, LoveDrug, Vanish Into You, Garden Of Eden, and Abracadabra, which features Donkey Kong. The first 11 songs follow the 80s/grunge aesthetic, while the last three songs are more somber and mellow, while featuring some of the best writing and singing on the album.

    The aforementioned tracks effortlessly mix the ominous EDM synths and drums alongside the bright and fun production. While MAYHEM doesn’t have the most innovate songwriting, the lyrics never feel out of place or goofy (except one) but instead feel more simplified to get the most out of Gaga’s messages, while still keeping in mind the partying and clubbing aspect. 

    Abracadabra is the perfect example of this, with simple yet vivid lyrics with a gothic delivery and atmosphere, complemented by the fun and catchy hook that Donkey Kong ghost-wrote. LoveDrug is an intimate track that makes you want to dance your problems away. The dark bassline and bright synths make a great pairing with the catchiest hook of the album, in my opinion.

    Shadow Of A Man is the best example of the 80s influence mixing in with modern club on this album. With bright and EDM-type synths and another groovy bassline from Watt, Gaga channels Bad-era Michael Jackson in this bold and engulfing track.

    Perfect Celebrity is the one of the most personal and well-written songs on the album, accompanied by triphop-style synths and drums that give the song this eerie feeling where Gaga’s repressed angst against the industry is finally unleashed as we, the listeners, just so happen to be to hear. 

    The final three tracks as mentioned before, The Beast, Blade Of Grass, and Die With A Smile with Bruno Mars are among my favorites on the album that feel like you’re coming down from a night out partying and the anxieties are starting to creeping in. With more personal writing and simplified production, the final three tracks create a more intimate atmosphere that wonderfully close the album.

    The Beast once again serves Bad-era Michael Jackson and takes inspiration from Nine Inch Nails production to create the most sensual and passionate track on the album, while Blade Of Grass takes similar industrial rock style production, alongside somber piano, acoustic guitar, and synths that surprisingly accompany the track well. The mad gambler, Bruno Mars, makes an appearance and honestly steals the show from Lady Gaga on “Die With A Smile,” yet, together, they create a sweet and beautiful closer to the album. 

    Despite my admiration so far, I do feel a couple of tracks weigh this project down. Zombieboy, while fun and groovy, is mostly carried by its catchy hook and chorus, the verses don’t add substance to the track. The only time I grew tired of the production and the writing was easily while listening to Killah. While the song might be considered fun, the annoying guitar riff and gaudy/bloated synth on this track ruin any semblance of an entertaining track. Gaga is overshadowed by this awful production. Looking under the hood, Gesaffelstein stands out alongside Cirkut and Watt. Though I’m not a fan of his production style, his work on Blade Of Grass should be applauded because it’s a beautiful and sincere track, but this is the exception to his boring and carbon copy production, in my opinion. His only notable skill is ripping off Daft Punk, which is front and center on Killah and, honestly, most of his catalog (see Lost in the Fire by The Weeknd & Gesaffelstein). Yet he showcases he can work better with less, perfectly exemplified on Blade of Grass, where he helps create this sincere and anxious atmosphere, but on Killah, he doesn’t bring anything unique to the table, and it weighs down the entire project. Oh wow, another European producer inspired by Daft Punk and house music–not like we have 80 of them already. Place a modular synth embargo on all of Europe, and while we’re at it, ban The Dare from being within 25 ft of a computer, too.

    MAYHEM is a return to an album that’s full of fun and uniquely produced tracks that culminate in an outstanding and emotional three-track finish. Gaga reminds everyone who started this shit with her amazing singing and clear vision. And while some tracks feel underdeveloped and could’ve spent more time in the workshop, the rest of the album makes up for this with better writing and production that make for more entertaining listens.

    8.5/10

  • Makeout Music #4 – Being Cheesy, or Desire

    Makeout Music #4 – Being Cheesy, or Desire

    Desire (via Discogs)

    This is a column on Polyvox mag dot com. The column is called Makeout Music, which is indicative of the contents. My name is Jenny Hanover. I’m usually a poet from Pittsburgh, PA. However, I double as a former college music director and kissing connoisseur, so I’m going to be breaking down some of the best albums to kiss to of all time. 

    Maybe… just maybe, being corny isn’t all bad. I guess I should be the one to say it, since I’m writing about music to kiss to on a serious music publication and I’m probably the corniest person most people know, if they know me in real life. Corny-ness is next to godliness, as the old saying goes. Or does it… 

    Either way, one of my favorite corny albums to get down to is Desire’s self-titled album. I mean, it’s right in the name- Desire. This record is sometimes listed as II, which is something I’m not really sure about because it’s always just been self titled to me. Desire is a band from Montreal that currently works out of California. They operate as a trio, the most notable member being esteemed Italians Do It Better producer, Johnny Jewel. This album sounds like most other records released on Italians Do It Better, Chromatics, Causeway, Glüme, to name a few. 

    So, why don’t I choose one of those Italians Do It Better compilations, or the ever-popular Chromatics release? 

    This album has one of the best fucking songs you could ever make out to. It’s called Under Your Spell, and this one alone is enough of a heavy hitter to sell me on the entire record. Glowing synths, light, pulsing drums, and the soft sound of perfect lyrics 

    I don’t eat, 

    I don’t sleep, 

    I do nothing but think of you. 

    Perfect simplicity, but to a point. One time in college I liked a girl so much that I literally got on my hands and knees over the toilet in a campus building and just dry heaved. I laid awake all night, I hardly found the time to eat, it was literally ruining my life. A few days after the gagging incident, there she was, fantastically real and in my bed and we were kissing and this song happened to come on automatic shuffle after my playlist. I could’ve wept. This album is perfect to kiss to, especially when you’re kissing someone that you like so much it’s killing you. It’s eight songs long, and most of them clock between four and a half and seven minutes, giving a good uninterrupted flow. Plus, they’re all so similarly dreamy that they float into each other anyhow, with a few hints of disco when things need to pick up. There’s a few pace changes, but they’re welcome, and there are enough spoken monologues to really hammer home the way it makes you feel. It ends with an over seven minute long cool-down that starts with a mid tempo beat and ends with humming white noise. 

    This is the kind of record that you have to release all of your shame to kiss to, but if you really think about it, isn’t that the point? We’re grown adults smashing our faces together like wild animals, so why not lean into the theatrics. If you’re a corny fool-in-lust like me, I think you should make out to Desire. 

    I’m giving this a three out of five, deducting points for some of the quicker tempo stuff and repetition. I will not be deducting points for the cheese factor, and I think that Under Your Spell holds enough weight to tempt me… just a little bit… to add another point… but I digress.

    Best tracks: Under Your Spell, Colorless Sky, Mirroir Mirroir 

    Polyvox reader, do you have a great album to kiss to? Email me an album at minajbeach@gmail.com, and I’ll be the judge of that, thanks. Don’t worry- I’ll keep you anonymous.