First impressions would lead you to believe that there's not much to this one. A couple guitar notes and a melancholy drum beat labor along while synth textures float aimlessly about in the background, and you'd mistake the effort as "basic" if you checked out after the first few seconds. The band has embraced a truly spartan approach to their production work, though, and it shows from start to finish. Normally, this would mean the track is probably not up to snuff (at least, not our own), but Mexico City Blondes seems to have channeled their inner White Stripes on the track, working some magic with the fewest number of ingredients possible. What was in danger of being a dull single with a lack of complexity is actually quite striking, and the vocals on "Fade" are really allowed to shine when paired up with the well-thought-out musical backdrop. To put it simply, the band has landed on something very "cool", and this cool-sounding aesthetic goes beyond the music itself, into the types of visual and emotional responses that get conjured when you keep with the effort. With so few distractions on it, you're free to sit back and really soak up all the textures, and there's not a moment where you feel like the music is getting away from itself. It's pretty rare to be able to do that nowadays, so we've got to give MCB their just due in that regard. Considering the fact that the track's the first single off the band's upcoming album, we'll have to wait to reserve final judgement on their sound, but things are definitely looking promising for Mexico City Blondes, and their infectious minimalism is something we'd care to get involved with going forward.
Mexico City Blondes