Porches: "The House"
by Emily Brower
Porches, the New York based synth-pop project just released their newest album ‘The House’through Domino Recording Co. Porches’ sound has shifted from a mainly calm indie vibe to a more despondent romantic electronic-pop sound in this enticing third album. Vocalist, Aaron Maine, has brought in a hypnotic flair to this record that can only be described as Depeche Mode meets The Neighborhood.
Starting the album with “Leave The House,” you are immediately enveloped in the echoes and emotions displayed throughout Maine’s voice. With his own twist on generic pop music, the beats and keyboard interwoven throughout the song combine the sounds of ZEDD with Maroon 5’s “She Will Be Loved” into it’s own beautifully unique medley.
Maine’s voice, while calm and collected, juxtaposes the club like beats throughout songs “Find Me” and “Anymore.” The slight synth you can hear entwined in his vocals is a combination that not many manage to pull off without sounding overly auto-tuned, but Maine commands it with perfect control.
“Understanding” is the perfect buffer to lead into “Now The Water,” which has a heavy 80s synth-pop influence, similar to the rest of the album. Sounding like a mix of DE/VISION’s, “Love Will Find a Way” and Inxs’s “Suicide Blonde,” the drum beat intro and keyboard combined with lyrics like, “Oh I feel it deeper now / And I think that it’s better somehow,” take you to another world.
“Country” and “Goodbye” both have similar depressingly haunting ballad vibes that are spread out just far enough throughout the album to make you almost forget the similarities between the two. Although, “Goodbye” has more nightclub inspired undertones that make you want to get up and dance to the beat, while “Country” holds true to the dismal atmosphere.
With an ode to the book Call Me by Your Name, “By My Side” has some of the most heartfelt lyrics on the whole album, with lines like, “I will call you by your name / If you call me by mine” and “You know how it makes me feel / When you talk to me like that.” This track tells a beautifully heartbreaking story that hooks you in and makes you contemplate the way relationships are handled.
Throughout this album, Maine has managed to combine upbeat tones with melodramatic solemn vocals that make you question weather you should get up and dance, or chill at home and clean your room. The mixture of tones continually displayed are an artistic creation that music lovers of all genres can form an appreciation for. Every song has it’s own unique spin on the typical electro-pop sound that has been around for decades, but has been stripped down to the bone and displayed for what it is really worth.
photo by @okay.kaya
Throwing in DIY sounding songs like “Wobble” gives the listener hindsight into the thought process of Porches. Although they now have a whole production team behind them, they are still holding true to their DIY roots. With mic screeches replicating those of a live show mishap and quick melody changes, you can see the stylistic diversity that they are capable of as a band.
This album is a strong start to what should be a long career for Porches. Every note that is transcribed leaves you in a trance and although Porches still have a long way to go, this album is a testament to the artistry they can accomplish. ‘The House’ can be found on Spotify,Bandcamp, iTunes, and other streaming sites.
