The notion of’ ‘maturity’ seems to be thrown around quite commonly nowadays, particularly in reference to bands on their third full-length record.
In the case of Pacifica however, it’s very difficult to shy away from this assessment, as it really does seem that The Presets are acknowledging the fact that they have grown up.
While conveying this lyrically, Julian Hamilton and Kim Moyes still manage to maintain that degree of pop-meets-electronic innovation that set the tone for their initial success.
If you haven’t heard first single “Youth In Trouble” yet, you obviously don’t own a radio. The opening track is immediate and intensively ominous, with Hamilton preaching a stark warning to listeners of fire, death and impending doom, encompassed by incendiary builds and superbly produced, pounding acid-house loops.
Staying true to their almost Balearic dynamic throughout their records, “Promises” and “Fall” forsake overly-electronic intonations, and appear as archetypal pop songs, produced with a level of competency that seems to transcend that negativity that often comes with a pop music signifier.
“It’s Cool” reduces the upbeat mood, with ambient synth texturing and Hamilton’s most sentimental and vocally expressive moment on the record, while acoustic drum loops serve to create a degree of timbre between the consistently electronic rhythm sections.
Increasing the constant theme of light and shade across the record, “A.O” carries on the darker electronic intonations, while the lyrical subject matter seems to tread into territory the duo have previously left uncharted. Conveying an inherently Australian social commentary, Hamilton approaches this song very seriously, offering a dire assessment of the current social climate.
“Surrender” emerges as a potential dancefloor anthem, combining classic techno minimalism and immaculately produced drum sampling, while “Fast Seconds” opens with Chicago house-rendered synths, before a stark dynamic shift into an almost trance-like banger.
“Fail Epic” closes Pacifica with an emotive sentiment, affirming the pair have certainly taken a more mature approach to their third record.
Although the strength of their electronic production and hook-ridden pop classics still appear throughout the record, the lyrical quality and sentiments on Pacifica seem to move beyond that of their earlier work, and in no way is this to their detriment.
There may be no “My People” or “This Boys In Love”, but what Pacifica demonstrates is that The Presets are still as capable as ever, while unafraid to acknowledge the change in times and their own development.
-Morgan Benson
