Is Tropical - Black Anything

Is Tropical
Black Anything
2016
Spotify

Black Anything may be new in it's full form, but Is Tropical have been releasing the album in two track installments since 2014. An occurrence that is not all that rare these days as albums become less and less the vehicle for music delivery and the single keeps it's hold as king. Is Tropical's sound is in a word, complex. You could firmly place the group in the Indietronica bucket of things as they explore suburban youth, bleak outlooks and a scene of music they are perpetually becoming dissatisfied with. There certainly is an air of "over it" to this music, which is less a commentary on the bands sound and more a look at the overall perspective of today's youth. Is Tropical never seem all to excited to be doing what they are doing, or really interested in pushing the energy level. This may be a live to album translation issue as the band spent much of the past two years touring, but you can not shake the sense that there is very little giving of a fuck in the ranks of this group. What is really great however is the incorporation of the very typical indietronica sound mixed with a real live drum set. The drums add this organic quality, and more than a bit of a sense of danger, that you just do not get from a drum machine.

With this type of music you almost expect things to take a darker turn but that never really happens on this record. There is more a vibe of unaffectedness than anything else, like we could be anywhere so why not just be here. It is an odd and sometimes off putting feeling. There are however also incredibly beautiful moments. "On My Way" features a female vocal that is absolutely mesmerizing and it swirls in and out like a blowing breeze. The only problem is the song does not take advantage of those really special pieces and sort of descends into a mismash of nothingness. ON tracks like "Now Stop" you get this moment of promise that just fades away in to a muddled bunch of conversations that you can't decipher. "Say" then comes in as just a little ditty then through a wide variety or whirls and gargles becomes something much different than what was promised. Is Tropical is quite content to not give you what you want for the very reason that you want it. This approach can lead to some really wonderful things, but it can also leave the listener let down, confused or at the worst bored. That is mostly where you end up landing after listening to this record. There just is not enough to get excited about on Black Anything. For some this may be a seminole record, but for most this one is going to be a pass.

6.3 out of 10