Small Black - "Limits of Desire" Review

Artist: Small Black

Album: Limits of Desire

Label: JAGJAGUWAR

Release Date: May 14^th, 2013

Review by: Sean Kayden

It’s been three years since Small Black released their fuzzy, hazy, chillwave debut, “New Chain.” Now the boys from Brooklyn figure that a minimalist approach could be the right change for their sophomore release, “Limits of Desire.”  Although home recorded and produced, the quartet ditch the exclusivity of snyths and samples found on “New Chain.” This time around there are more acoustic guitars, alongside live drum. This resonates a deeper importance on a more natural development with their newly developed sound. With a clutter of bands in the same sonic dome, Small Black may have figured a way to navigate from the back of the pack to the frontlines.

The heart of every song is found within the soft, twee vocals that manifest into the listener’s ears. The gang of four has made grand strides in transforming themselves from past to present. However, it’s not as if an alteration was necessary, but a strong yearning for it was intensely expressed by the band in interviews. “Limits of Desire” brings a lot of washed out elements to the forefront. Despite the emphasis on changing their sound, Small Black still carries a torch for pleasant sounds and beach-y induced melodies. While “New Chain’s” overall sonic sound drowned out the vocals, leader singer Josh Kolenik’s vocals are fully put in front of the music on this new album. There’s so much more now to connect with, like Kolenik’s crisper, cleaner, melodic singing. His range may stay in place within the ten tracks found on “Limits of Desire,” but that’s okay when they sound utterly this pleasurable. The first single, “Free at Dawn” is an example of what Small Black set out to do. By cleaning up the haziness engulfed on “New Chain” and expressing a more spacious sound, new light has emerged for a band that has mind/heart set in a direction unexplored. That path may not be all to foreign, especially to those who’ve surveyed the landscape for quite sometime, but the addition of Small Black is more than welcomed to bring in new life.

“Sophie” errs towards 80s soft pop influences. For that, it’s damn well endearing for a reason. It’s another example of how Small Black trade their penchant for chillwave for simplicity and gleam. It has a terrific, laid-back melody that screams dreamy pop to the fullest. The flow of it reminds me a little of “Gypsy” from Fleetwood Mac. It’s a beautiful addition to the ten solid tracks Small Black has materialized. “Shook Loves” is quite captivating and has a touch of 90s slow R&B lightly glazed over it. Perhaps the most disappointing track is the final one, “Outskirts.” This is the longest one lasting over six dreary minutes. But make no mistake, Small Black has crafted a dazzling sophomore album that builds upon its debut and exceedingly surpasses it. There may be those who believe Small Black isn’t reinventing a genre. That’s fine. However, they’re adapting to their new surroundings in such marvelous fashion. The kids from New York are progressing, maturing, and learning that their own “limits of desire” are only restricted by lack of growth. From the looks of it, they’re growing at a rapidly fast pace.

Grade: 9 out of 10

Key Tracks: “Free At Dawn,” “No Stranger,” “Sophie,” “Shook Loves”

Published by Mountain Views News on May 11th, 2013 

http://mtnviewsnews.com/v07/htm/n19/p14.htm