[Photo: ‘What Now’ album art]
What Now, released April 28, 2017, is the second full-length album from Sylvan Esso, a Durham, North Carolina-based pop duo. The members of the band, vocalist Amelia Meath and electronic producer Nick Sanborn, met after they performed as separate acts in a club in 2012. Meath asked Sanborn to produce one of her songs in his own way (which became “Play It Right”), and the result created such synergy that the two stuck together to make more content; thus, Sylvan Esso was born.
Their eponymous debut album was released on May 12, 2014 to great sales and reception for an indie debut, and was helped by the broad proliferation of its popular singles, “Coffee” (a veritable masterpiece of heavy beats and faux acoustics) and “Hey Mami” (a meandering, atmospheric ballad about catcalling). Sylvan Esso is now a big name in electronic pop music. Their sound on Sylvan Esso is marked by Meath’s dreamy vocals and Sanborn’s elegant production that recalls a certain quaintness and thoughtful nostalgia in listeners. It was a low-key project that played as if the duo were experimenting with what they could accomplish. Not quite timid, but not nearly bombastic, Sylvan Esso was a great record that left the creative door open for Meath and Sanborn to pursue what they wanted in their future project.
Enter What Now. Where Sylvan Esso dances nimbly between styles, never settling down for more than a song, What Now has made up its mind. As a complete work, What Now is more thematic than Sylvan Esso could ever be. Sanborn opts for the same basic elements on his electronic tool belt as on Sylvan Esso (including clean beats and highly textured sounds), such that even without Meath’s vocals, it’s easy to tell this is the same band that first debuted in 2014. Meath’s same lyrical prowess and aptitude for storytelling carries over, as well. Sylvan Esso indicates more confidence than before when they commit to faster-moving, similarly-structured songs, forcing the duo to innovate further than they already do—be it with Sanborn’s shining, eclectic production on “The Glow,” or Meath’s fantastic imagery on “Signal.” What Now as a whole is clearly centered on uplifting the listener; it presents feel-good vibes in a way only Meath and Sanborn can, while still varying the script and avoiding one-dimensionality.
What Now opens the 10-song track list with “Sound,” a gentle, low-fi gem that could function as a lullaby. Meath simply repeats the same short verse, saying how she’ll write a song that envelops the listener in insulating sound, but there is such a serene sincerity to the piece that she says so much more. The track is about seeking to foster bonds and share an intimate message with people (listeners, like you and me) remote and unfamiliar, and despite those barriers, doing it anyways. “Sound” is, in a sense, Sylvan Esso’s thesis statement, or message of intent, for What Now, and it’s as good as intro songs get.
“Die Young” is another standout. The third track out of 10, it was released as a single in February, and is quite different from the Ke$ha song by the same name. It is What Now’s most overt love song, though it’s not cliché. Meath puts her own spin on the theme, saying “I was gonna die young/Now I gotta wait for you, honey.” The interplay between two extremes—death and love—somehow make the lyrics even more enticing. Meanwhile, Sanborn turns the track into a vibrant, pulsing piece of dance pop with a great beat, while still respecting Meath’s signature voice. The satisfying, deep tones and background notes alongside the track’s vocals help make the song great, but the duo’s combined prowess also gives “Die Young” fantastic hooks, even among lead singles.
The sixth track in the lineup, called “Song,” is one of Amelia Meath’s highly personal pieces on the record, a category which also includes “The Glow” and ‘Slack Jaw.” In an interview with NPR, she says the song is about becoming, well, a song. She sings about wanting to literally transform into a song that “promises all your wants/And needs,” fitting with the established theme of sharing uplifting love. Such uniqueness and personality as in the aforementioned songs make What Now more than a basic electronic pop album. The record can’t help but be unique when Sylvan Esso funnels so much personal influence into their work.
My personal favorite track on the record is “Signal,” a glittery, animated track about the inescapability of basic human desire for connection in our age of technology. Of the whole record, this song is the best to sing along to, owing to its grand, multilayered chorus, backed up by a solid bass line. The track has its subtleties, too, of course, including thoughtful lyricism and decorative verses, complete with the sounds of bells. “Signal” is heartfelt, yet large-scale, and sweet, yet hard-hitting. It’s a feel-good sing-along that you can actually feel good (not guilty) singing along to. It’s also tinged with melancholy, like much of What Now, but this grants thematic depth and makes the record even more savory to hear.
With perhaps less quirk than their first release, but with much more confidence, What Now is a pop work that won’t wear out easily. It’s a fitting follow-up to Sylvan Esso (a grand accolade indeed), and the duo seems to have found their groove. My hope for Meath and Sanborn moving forward is that they avoid hyper-commercialized musical styles and retain what made Sylvan Esso and What Now so special. If the band can improve from this album in the future, while not bending too far to the mainstream, they’ll have proven their greatness even further.
LISTEN TO WHAT NOW: Spotify | iTunes
JOSH GEST | But actually though, what now? | KXSU Radio Reporter