Flash Trading - The Golden Mile EP

Flash Trading
The Golden Mile EP
2017
Spotify

When you listen to a lot of electronic music, especially that which you could classify as electropop, you tend to get this very shinny glossy vibe. Not with Flash Trading. On this EP, the New York trio make a conscious effort to rough up the edges and create electronic music that feels, well kind of analogue. They have a very distinct New York in the 80s kind of vibe, taking their sounds from the raves and techno parties from the era. Somewhat big and unwieldy like the city itself The Golden Mile EP is described by the band as “balearic acid sophistihouse". Hearing descriptions like these by bands is so cringeworthy, but despite how dumb the description is dead on. With "Vini" you get this really acid house-esque intro that moves effortlessly into the pop part of the song, yet it never loses that initial line of music. There is so much going on with each track it is often hard not to get lost, much like the dark raves which they used as inspiration. Moane Freeman who provides most of the vocals is really the best part of the record. She manages to be bold when needed or just sing underneath the track for the more House centered outings. Without Her the music would be so disjointed it would be hard to tie it all together, but somehow Her vocal just cuts through all the noise and becomes central. You end up missing her on "Elegy" and the random seeming tones never connect like you would hope.

There are other issues as well, the first being how restrained the album is. Going back to "Elegy" it is the first track without vocals so you would expect the band to really push that track and make it standout. However when it has an opportunity to be big, it shrinks away. The same can be said for "The Gantries" which sort of begins with this great line, but then the terrible vocals (not provided by Freeman) come in a just ruin everything. That is the thing with this record, there is a lot to like and a lot of really great ideas but Flash Trading get to high minded for their own good. They make really good music sound confusing and off putting which is so incredibly frustrating. Throughout the record there is this pull between good and bad, simple and complex that goes back and forth so much it's hard to tell which parts are which. It's no where near a bad record but it just lacks a solid direction or focus that could really bring it around. This is music that people who like to dissect every note and dig in to the intricacies will love, but for the rest of us it is just a bit to much.

5.9 out of 10