The Blow
The Blow
Reviewed by: Stephen Krock
Khaela Maricich and Melissa Dyne are the alien pop princesses that comprise The Blow. With their new self-titled album, they steer their musical starship down towards Earth to declare that they come in peace. And in hip, electronic quirkiness. Their first transmission, “Make It Up,” is an excellent taste of what is to come. Maricich has the easy coolness of expert speak-singer Dev and the vocal prowess of Lorde, sporting a sweet upper register that she uses sparingly. Dyne backs her up with inventive, future pop soundscapes. There is even a very appropriately named track called, “From the Future.” which, perhaps, is the best example of The Blow. The coffeehouse poetry lyrics blend with the synthy ether in a manner that is not so much stream of consciousness as babbling brook of consciousness. The production is impressively minimal, given that it is pure electronica, and it rings true when Maricich muses that “a kiss was just something I did with my tongue until I met you.” The Blow is a mishmash of sweet sound, from the twinkliness of “Kiss” to the woodwinds and hipster marching band beats of “Invisible.” It all sounds cool, but on the whole, the spacey sing-speaking wears thin by the end. To the point where it could be seen as a gimmick rather than a trademark. There is much to like, but there is also much that sounds the same. A considerable talent not yet fully explored.
Rating: Listenable
