Tycho - Weather

Tycho
Weather
2019
Spotify

When people write about music the next album is almost always called a "follow up" to the previous one. That is the case for most artists, however Tycho is not most artists. His past albums: Dive, Awake and Epoch have all been a part of a series where Scott Hansen has been exploring where visuals and music collide. It's been a wild ride and one that I have thoroughly enjoyed, but as time has gone on Tcho has shifted from being a solo electronic act to a more robust full band. His most recent couple of tours featured stunning guitar and drum work so much so that the two have become basically permanent fixtures. A remix from the Epoch was the first time Tycho used real vocals on a track with Beacon providing them. Saint Sinner is the new muse on this album, Weather, as many songs take shape around her vocals. It's a new realm for Tycho and one that doesn't feel immediately like the right choice. It's a big swing, especially for the Tycho faithful, to go from blissed out electronic builds and wild synth explorations in what could almost be called electropop? The idea is likely to blend some more organic feelings into his work with the inclusion of voice, but the thing about Tycho is his electronics never felt all that electronic in the first place. His music was more of a transportation device, jumping on a synth to be beemed to some far off land that only existed in Tycho's mind. On Weather there is far more emphasis put on the groove rather than world creating, which gives you something to bop to, but doesn't have that same extravagant feel.

For the most part the vocal delivery slides right into Tycho's style that is until "For How Long". This track has this almost staccato hip hop delivery that just feels a bit off. It feels sort of slapped together, ticking all the normal Tycho boxes then just adding some vocals. The record is also freakishly short at only eight tracks and 29 minutes. I know this was supposed to be more pop centric record but at times it just feels a bit rushed. I know for a fact it was not, Tycho took his time, almost three years since his last to put this one together. It sounds cared for, but at times it just doesn't sound as robust as Tycho can. There are a few stand out hits but not that one track that makes you perk up and take notice. Tycho has often been accused of being a bit droney, but on Weather it feels more apparent. Like most Tycho records this feels like it needs time to grow on you, a chance to worm it's way into your brain, but on a first pass it lacks those things that make Tycho record incredibly great. For a first shot at a vocal album it's not too bad, but not quite up to the high standard He has already set.

7.0 out of 10