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Say Hi's founder and single permanent member, Eric Elbogen,
has been active as an indie-pop artist since 2002 when he released
his debut album Discosadness on his own label Euphobia Records
under the moniker Say Hi To Your Mom. Five years later and
Elbogen has released his fifth record The Wishes And The Glitch,
written and recorded in his home studio in Seattle, Washington. He
also shortened his marquee to Say Hi. His music is as affable as the
name, roping together layers of flowy synth-controlled melodies and
vocals that resonate with the soulfulness and pliability of lead singer
Kelly Jones from the UK's Stereophonics. The songs on
The Wishes And The Glitch coruscate like reels of new wave
psychedelics relatable to Radiohead with bedroomy-pop atmospherics
like Electric Soft Parade. Say Hi's music has the pleasing
esthetics of melodic-pop with inlays of quick, light beats that intensify
the listener's adrenaline to a lively rate.
The union of quick, light beats and melodic-pop textures is prominent
on the opening track "Northwestern Girls," bringing out
the hot-blooded crooner in Elbogen's voice. It is a signature tune
for Say Hi like "California Girls" was to The Beach Boys
and "Cinnamon Girl" was for Neil Young. The snappy
synth injections on "Shakes Her Shoulders" are stirred up
by doubling up the drumbeats or using 1/8 notes in the movements to
intensify the excitement. The electro bleeps opening "Toil And
Trouble" sprout into lines of dulcet synth currents bonding with
Elbogen's casually musing vocals, and the calmly cruising momentum
of "Back Before We Were Brittle" invites a deep contemplation
that prompts one to look back over one's life. Elbogen dives into
a bedroomy, dreamy dimension on tracks like the obscure "Oboes
Bleat And Triangles Tink," the soft elevations of "Bluetime,"
and the lightly swooping keys and swaying rhythms of "Spiders."
The synth-pop passages have more jumps in their tempo on "Zero
To Love" with catchy handclapping beats, and the shimmering synth
channels of "Apples For The Innocent" have the sonic blossoms
of music reminiscent of the UK's Editors and Scotland's The
Cinematics. "Magic Beans And Truth Machines" goes off
on a tangent with country tones in the synths while keeping a melodic-pop
consistency. The final track "We Lost The Albatross" closes
the album with an upbeat feel fastening perky beats with enthusiasm
pouring out of the synth flourishes.
Eric Elbogen's Say Hi is a magnet for melodic-pop verses. Whatever
angle he takes the music, it always returns to a melodic-pop essence.
His latest release The Wishes And The Glitch has a synth-pop
consistency that runs through a gamut of emotions all relatable to
being human. The album has synth-adelics that are pleasing to the
senses and bend to the will of whatever emotions are being expressed.
-Susan Frances
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