Porches Tries Out Some New Tricks In "The House"

Indie synthpop project Porches has established a nice sound for himself, and one that's gained a pretty loyal following. As with any sound, though, it is important to progress it. Porches tries out some new tricks in The House, his new album that is quirky on the surface but hits pretty close to home upon further inspection.

The most familiar aspects of Porches' music is still very much present at the center of each song. Opening track 'Leave The House' is introduced by a short acapella before the familiar dark, curious synth melody and airy vocals kick in, à la Thom Yorke. The backing vocals are refreshing, and they continue to excel as 'Find Me' kicks in with more drive and beautiful harmonies. 'Now The Water' also sticks to his regular formula, though with a chiller atmosphere. The guitars reverberate as the bass and drums chug the song forward, Porches' voice soulful and full of warmth.

The House sees Porches delve deeper into the electronic aspect of his music, especially in the sense of his voice. He can be seen channeling Bon Iver a lot throughout the record, earliest on in 'Understanding.' Songs like 'Wobble' perfectly blend the icy vocoded vocals with his classic synths, while others like 'W Longing' are more darkly focused with more atmosphere to them. 'Swimmer' has harmonies that sound akin to a barbershop quartet, sounding like a baroque Bon Iver. Porches even gets super personal on songs like 'By My Side,' which seems chill and romantic on the surface, but the lyrics (such as "I will call you by your name if you call me by mine / It is good to know ourselves / Because most of the time I have no idea who I see in the mirror") reveal a depressing, longing tone. 'Åkeren' channels left-field spoken word, before closing track 'Anything U Want' snaps you back to reality.

Porches tries out some new tricks in The House, developing and refining his sound further than he has in the past. It's a great new step for him even if it's a small one. Porches brings his best and owns his new sounds all the same.

Favorite Tracks: W Longing, Leave The House, Wobble

Least Favorite Track: Understanding

Rating: 74 / 100

Stream or buy The House on Apple Music, and follow Immortal Reviews' 2018 Playlist: