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This might come as a surprise to you bitches who read my article that reviewed all the albums I purchased over the course of 2015, but I bought Troye Sivan's debut album Blue Neighbourhood.I
I still stand by my review of Troye's EP Wild. It was the worst rated album on that list, but my criticisms were accurate if somewhat harsh. I was not impressed. I said of Wild that it's “full of songs that serve as a canvas for experimental electronic influences that are supposed to count as his artistic vision.” This carries true onto his album Blue Neighbourhood, but I like this album. |
So, how did this happen? I made no effort to listen to Troye Sivan's new single, “Youth”. It came to me on the waves of the radio. It did what every great Troye Sivan has done for me. It picked up where “Happy Little Pill” and “Wild” left him, wanting more. The song is cinematic in it's perfection.
Buy "Youth"
I was still hesitant on purchasing the album. I was intensely disappointed by Wild. And as nondescript as the suicide themed “Talk Me Down” was, I wasn't convinced. I knew the album had a duet with Betty Who. The Australian pop singer, best known for her bright single, “Somebody Loves You”.
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I bought the album. All 19 tracks of it at Target after spending over $200 getting some new tires for my car. I bought it and my cold gay heart melted a little.
I expected to be disappointed, but I was pleasantly surprised. Some of the mistakes of his EP carry over onto the album, but their indecipherable over the course of an hour. The album is a mellow jam session to put on before you go to sleep. It's never overtly sexual and focuses on young wistful romanticism. Much to his credit. |
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His voice is like milk. It has a tendency to blend into the background of the music. That's his strength. You can lay on the floor and just let his voice wash over you. A lot of these songs melodies are more memorable then the words he's actually saying.
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A criticism I had of his EP was his inability to “replicate more then one substantial moody electro pop ballad per musical outing”. His album proved that wrong. There are multiple highlights on the extended tracklist. Including the singles, “Heaven”, “Lost Boy”, and “Blue”. “Suburbia” is a highly listenable, unreletable fodder that deals with him coping with his rise to fame.
His choice of duet partners is interesting. Rapper, Allday betrays him on the faux hip hop vibe of “for him.” his verse coming off as just a little too sexually forward. There's a cast of heterosexual partnerships. Betty Who has a throwaway verse on “Heaven” that even her breathy vocals don't elevate. Both Broods and Tkay Maidza are forgettable on their respective songs. Alex Hope does the best standing out on the highlight that is “Blue”. |
I appreciate Troye's artistry as a full length artist. There's a lack of uptempo material, but he likes to stay in this mid to low tempo groove. The backing music isn't ground breaking. What Troye Sivan is selling is his perspective and his youth. If that's something you can get behind. This landscape of dream pop he's created will be perfect for you.
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