‘Egyptian Wrinkle’ by Boy Friend will certainly divide a lot of people in to those who love this piece of nu gaze dream pop and those who will think it’s just too bland. There are tracks on the new album from Christa Palazzolo and Sarah Brown that will highlight what is good and bad about those genres. When I think about this style of music I start thinking of words like abstract; chimerical; lulling; otherworldly and utopian which certainly describes the best tracks but too often I am left thinking of words like introspective; musing; preoccupied; vague and whimsical. It makes you wonder where Christa and Sarah’s focus was at times since the split from Sleep ? Over.
The first two tracks of the album gets it off to a great opening with the synthscape of ‘Rogue Waves 1’ with a melody line building, falling and drifting in a hazy dream with birdsong transporting you to halcyon days but instantly the pleasant dreams are replaced by ‘Bad Dreams’ juxtaposing between two different states nicely. ‘Lovedropper’ continues the great Lynchian reverb drenched sound but as the album progresses it soon falls in to plodding monotony with languorous synths and drums.
That’s where I have issue with this album; each track doesn’t have much variation and its torpid similarity just makes you want to give up on it which is a shame as it finishes with 3 great tracks. ‘The Lair’, ‘The False Cross’ and ‘Rogue Wave 2’ are up there with Cocteau Twins era 4AD. The rich textured noise envelopes you, taking you to places you never thought of and fulfils the promises of the opening salvos.
I’m really divided by the ‘Egyptian Wrinkle’, the high points make me long for more and drift off in soma induced reverie but unfortunately the low points rudely snap me out of my dreams and are a very unpleasant companion. I hope that Boy Friend can build on the pluses and produce to the potential to which they aspire to.
Released February 06 2012 through Hell, Yes!
Posted by Chris Hughes
