Washed Out: Paracosm

"Chillwave", a much-maligned term, still dogs Ernest Greene, even as he takes greater and greater steps to disassociate himself from it. His early EP, Life of Leisure, defined the genre: lo-fi electronics, hazy vocals, a vague sense of nostalgic ennui. But by the time his debut album (Within and Without) arrived, Greene had taken his signature sound out of the bedroom and into a real bells-and-whistles studio. Paracosm continues further down the road, filling the mix with a Phil Spector-esque orchestra of multitracked instruments and samples. It's big and lush and determined to be taken seriously, although, as is often the case with Washed Out, the production largely trumps the songwriting. Never-theless, there are moments of captivating beauty, such as the majestically sweeping chorus of All I Know and the stately, piano-led closer, All Over Now. washedout.net
Download: It All Feels Right, Great Escape, All I Know