The Arcs: ‘Electrophonic Chronic’
Following the praise of their debut record in 2015, The Arcs have officially made their comeback, ending their eight-year break with their most avant-garde work to date, ‘Electrophonic Chronic’.
Led by Black Keys frontman, Dan Auerbach, The Arcs started as nothing more than an experimental side project with little to no expectations, just a group of luminaries wondering where it would go. Their first album, ‘Yours, Dreamily’, unsurprisingly reached instant success.
Offering a unique blend of sounds, every track on ‘Electrophonic Chronic’ plants its roots within different genres. From heavenly neo-psychedelic melodies to gritty rock and the melancholy blues that the Black Keys are so famously known for, The Arcs have torn up the rulebook on how conventional garage rock should sound. Paying tribute to their beloved singer-songwriter-producer-collaborator Richard Swift, who passed away in 2018, the album is a continuation of their previous work - a handful of explorative improv that eventually grew its own legs.
Each track on ‘Electrophonic Chronic’ provides nuggets of dreamy melodies, incorporating their love of psychedelia and blues; a hypnotic rhythmic combo, with Swift’s musical influence, heavily felt throughout.
‘Keep On Dreamin’, released as the leading track on the album, has the essence of Tame Impala with an echoing cosmic beat driven by drums and blaring horns. Whereas ‘Behind The Eyes’ feels very much symbolic of last-two-people-on-the-dancefloor, an ill-lit room, and the melancholy gaze of a mirrorball. Each song cautiously evokes unique symbolism and musical style.
The track ‘River’ plays on bittersweet nostalgia, “I remember I took my first steps right over there // Smell of burning leaves in the air”, paying homage to their roots and the complexities of growing up. With the relaxed beat and Auerbach’s dulcet tones, The Arcs have stepped out of the limited parameters that The Black Keys are so often criticised for.
‘Sunshine’, does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s unapologetically optimistic. With the uptempo beat, greasy grooves, and addictively-catchy riff, it’s the sort of tune that only The Arcs can pull off. With their bluesy chords and unmistakable guitars, it’s the musical equivalent of basking in the sunlight. It’s simple, sweet, and has rightly deserved its track name.
‘Sporting Girls Interlude’ perfectly exemplifies how The Arcs further set themselves apart from The Black Keys. Seamlessly blending into ‘Love Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’ without hesitation, it’s a reflection of their progression as musicians. Effortlessly being able to play around with the narrative of an album and interludes is something that many musicians ordinarily shy away from.
‘Love Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’ plays out the aftermath of a relationship, and it’s undeniably self-reflective. No stranger to writing a breakup song, the song lyrically mirrors The Black Keys’ ‘In Our Prime’ from their Turn Blue album.
Opening with “I’m not sad you’re gone,” the track outlines a feeling of closure and acceptance, “Close this door / Love doesn’t live here anymore,” “All these scars / They go back so long and they’ll be right here after we’re gone.”
Overall, this album marks an impressive return and serves as a sweet homage to their former band member and collaborator. Although it seems scattered and fragmented on the surface, each song being undefined to a genre, the complexities of the tracks and experimental sounds get better and better with each listen.
