This album has been a long time coming, but if even with the increased hype that comes with such an elongated wait, ODESZA has still has managed to surpass expectations by miles and miles. Their championed genre, electronic, has underwent a few big growth spurts in the past decade or so, and with the advancement of production technologies increasing ever more rapidly, we suppose an album like ODESZA's here was bound to come out. That doesn't mean we're still not thoroughly astounded by its artistic prowess, however; certainly, each and every song on their work is a miniature sonic journey in its own right, and when you string them all together, the listening experience is up there with some of the best. Never mind the fact that these guys have made experimental electronic music appealing to masses of casual listeners—you should really be appreciating the fact that they've accomplished this without sacrificing any quality whatsoever. Some acts are adept at squeezing the most punch out of the fewest number of sounds. ODESZA, on the other hand, displays a certain knack for sonic plate spinning. Their work oftentimes sounds like it has so many moving parts, that all the little stems and textures start to blend together, reform, and create new noises that would have never been possible otherwise, and the end result makes the listening experience very liquid in a sense—and not once are you left with the impression that the two individuals left their music half-finished or undercooked. "It's Only" is a perfect example of this phenomenon, and with such a strong stack of individual pieces, the track comes together in all the right ways. It's smooth from start to finish, but there's always that extra punch of bass or percussion when you need it, and with each build and drop in volume, it just gets better and better. The next two tracks on the noteworthy list are "White Lies" and "All We Need". Both efforts represent a new level of auditory mastery for the duo, and when you give them a listen, you'll understand why. "White Lies" features the awesome vocals of Jenni Potts, and her feature is yet another amazing addition to an already-long line of female vocalists who have lent their talent to ODESZA's tracks. Honestly, we don't know how they keep finding these killer artists, but their A&R skills are top notch, because the songs are always hits. "All We Need", meanwhile, features a more well-known name, Shy Girls, but just like "White Lies" it's a math made in heaven, and the music is just another reason why ODESZA is at the top of their game right now. The polyrhythmic wizardry that they weave through the music is spellbinding, and we think it'd make any long car ride, monotonous day, or otherwise uninspired attitude melt right away. Bringing up the rear of the album are three additionally amazing songs, and while we recommend that you just go out and enjoy the whole thing, "Bloom", "Echoes" and "For Us" are all must-hear cuts. Again, we just can't seem to get over how subtle and effortless it all is, and the Seattle duo's ability to multitask while so many little cogs and gears are spinning away furiously in the background means these tracks feel almost orchestral in their delivery. This is definitely not your little brother's garage band music, and each one of these songs will blow you away again and again as you try to wrap your head around the fact that the guys behind them have put out an electronic album which feels just as organic and genuine as any folk, indie, or R&B project out. ODESZA has been on a roll for a while, to be fair, but In Return is simply taking their craft to a new height where few have ever gone before—electronic or otherwise. In Return is available on iTunes now.
ODESZA