Freak Heat Waves – Mondo Tempo LP
“Canadian duo Freak Heat Waves’ fifth album softly swerves from the post-punk and dub of its predecessors, sounding more like lo-fi balearic pop, or crispy new wave electro. RIYL Jessy Lanza, Junior Boys, Vangelis or the Pet Shop Boys and coming to you from the excellent Mood Hut.
Spurred on by the downtempo electronic experimentation that birthed their last album ‘Zap The Planet’, Mondo Tempo looked towards sunnier dancefloor sounds to inspire ‘Mondo Tempo’. The result is a humid, balearic set of throwback pop earworms that capture a ’90s we barely remember at this point. ‘The Time Has Come’ is a funk guitar-laced burner, anchored by slippery deadpan vocals and a bone dry break. Cindy Lee, aka Women’s Patrick Flegal, turns up to take the lead on standout track ‘In a Moment Divine’, giving the brittle, pad-led track an almost Pet Shop Boys-style shimmer. It’s music that’s blessed with good nature, with shades of Arthur Russell-style strings and deadly psychedelic synths.”
-boomkat