FAKE? creates a perfect night with their latest album.
It’s the height of summer, and plenty of people are taking advantage of the hot weather and long days to relax outside. Whether it’s lying on a blanket in the grass or sitting with an icy drink in hand on the porch, you can’t go wrong if you have FAKE?’s latest album Switching on X playing in the background. Although the album was released in February, it seems tailor made for warm summer nights.
The album starts with the cleverly titled Enter X, an instrumental track. Soft synth notes guide you in, and the dreamy, slow melody gives a taste of what to look forward to from the rest of the CD. However, the first few songs are a bit faster than expected, as though building up momentum. Density Change, Taste It and Indigo Clean are grungy, gritty rock songs with hard edges and retro undercurrents. The mix of heavy guitar lines and sharp, scratchy synths create a rowdy but sensual mood. Ken Lloyd sounds particularly good in Indigo Clean, where he rolls the lyrics off his tongue in a way that’s rough and enticing.
After burning off some energy, Novocaine slows things down. With a psychedelic, gentle pop melody, the song lulls you into a peaceful sleep, and the songs that follow infuse your dreams with colors. Undercover, a black, growling song draws you deep into a world of smoke and shadows, while Rotate is a fast spinning kaleidoscope of reds and blues. D-Elite, a light punk-pop concoction, is a mural of muted pastels, but Tweakin’ and Buzz are riotous, nightmarish tracks with slashes of bright yellow cut in, like a battle scene mixed into a rock concert. Heavy on bass and quick on drums, the two songs are the most like modern alternative rock songs and ratchet up the energy before the final track, Homesick.
Everything starts to wind down with Homesick, which conjures up the image of one gazing up longingly at the starry sky. The leisurely, soft verses give way to an expansive chorus full of yearning. Then, upon waking, you’re back at the start with Exit X, a continuation of the intro made outro.
Switching on X can’t be placed in any genre with all the different styles it incorporates – except the genre ‘good.’ The best aspect of this album is how smooth it is: the fast songs are just fast enough to temper the slower tracks, keeping the flow of the album moving effortlessly. While it wouldn’t be out of place played in a dim underground club, the first time around, it’d be better to enjoy it by yourself…so turn up the speakers, get ready to watch the sunset and switch on X.
