Collarbones’ sophomore album uses their signature beats and fragile vocals to tell stories of teenage crushes.
Die Young is another beautifully-produced offering from the geographically-challenged duo of Marcus Whale and Travis Cook, the former’s voice layered over a number 0f beautifully orchestrated backgrounds of distinctive glitch beats.
Compared to fellow glitch beat-maker James Blake, Whales’ voice falls a little flat, yet the pair have created a record infinitely more likely to get your booty shaking, albeit slowly.
Like most acts releasing a sophomore album, Collarbones aim to impress their audience early. The first two tracks are arguably the best and both feature local artists Guerre, and html flowers respectively.
Unfortunately this serves to leave the rest of the album feeling rather monotonous in comparison. There is some break in the pattern with the only instrumental track on the album, “Soul Hologram”, but its short length (at only 1 minute 53 seconds) is noticeable.
The lyrics are also at times simplistic, yet overall this works for the album’s fumbling sense of romanticism, with a bitter, desperate undertone channelled through the electronic backing. Despite its reservations, Die Young is a solid follow-up and definitely one you should treat your ears and hips to.
