Washed Out: Within And Without

Washed Out
Within And Without
Rating: Meh

Ernest Greene, who performs under the Washed Out moniker, is a laptop producer who creates blissed out chillwave music from his rural Georgia home, about the most unlikely place you could think this kind of music would originate. Over the course of two EPs, Greene created a unique set of tracks that took vintage sounding keyboards and drum machines and molded new, sunny life out of them. It is basically impossible to listen to those tracks without getting a warm sensation flowing through your body. With the backlash against the chillwave genre, it was unclear what direction Greene would head in; would he change 180 degrees like Toro Y Moi, or subtly alter his sound like Memory Tapes? With his debut full length Within And Without, the answer is neither. He basically sticks to his same template, but brought Animal Collective producer Ben Allen to man the boards, brushing and shining the ramshackle nature of his earlier tracks into a buff sheen. Consequently, there are two effects on his sound: one, the album sounds great, full of depth and an expansiveness that wasn't there before; and two, this also, most likely unintended, gives the album a rather one-note quality. Individually, the tracks are all gorgeous and shimmering, creating a wonderful, relaxing backdrop, however, together it is difficult to tell them each apart, flowing in and out of each other with little distinction. Oddly, almost every track adheres to the same BPM and drum track, making this problem worse.

The album starts on a high note, with the lush atmospherics and treated guitars of "Eyes Be Closed," feeling akin to the opening track to The Cure's Disintegration, the song ebbing and flowing on a rising sea of building chords.



And this template serves them well when they stick to a dreamier, more upbeat sound. "Amor Fati" has a lovely, almost Caribbean lilt, which leads to a swirling, gauzy chorus.



"Before" starts out well on a bed of whirring synths, and uses some interesting vocal sampling as counterpoint to the hazy vocals.



But far too many tracks drag through somber trappings, never rising above a bland texture. It also doesn't help that Greene, whose voice is respectable but not amazing, covers most of his vocals in reverb and other effects. The majority of tracks sound like he is singing from deep in a well. "Far Away" has his vocals barely reaching a murmur.



Adult Swim single "You And I" is similarly morose and blue, with Greene's vocals a formless moan, which is further dragged down by the turgid beats.



The title track takes a light, hip-hop beat and pairs it will glacial synth washes, fading into aural wallpaper.



The final track, "A Dedication," finally emerges from the pea soup torpur of the album and injects some much needed variety and texture; adding pianos and spikes of keyboard atmospherics.



Within And Without is an album I really want to love. There are some great tracks on it and the production is impeccable, it is just like a Big Mac sandwich though, something I crave once every six months or so, then right after I have it is instantly gone from my memory until six months later. There really is nothing wrong with the record, it just doesn't leave a lasting impression. The tracks end up being too similar and fade into the background. I wish there had been more of the thrift store odd nature of his earlier EPs in order to provide some distinction between tracks. Unfortunately, what we are left with is a pleasant, but unmemorable experience.

Rating Guide

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.