Dan Raymond – The Breakdown
Dan Raymond is an 80’s-throwback producer from Auckland, New Zealand. With a sound closely resembling bands such as the Cure and New Order, The Breakdown (released on November 17th, 2021) did very little to improve upon its influences.
The album opens with a spectacular saxophone, which blends amicably into a gorgeous 80’s synth-pop inspired ballad. The result sounds like Clarence Clarity, without the edginess, and the Cure without the goth. Despite its gorgeous opening and impeccable instrumental mid-section, the song is lacking both in the compositional and innovation department. The punk elements are enjoyable, though are barely noticeable; the album instead mostly buries them within an ecstasy-inspired atmosphere. Certain songs seriously nail the composition; Homeland is powerful and accompanied by a subtle, yet remarkable array of acoustics. The title track is short, and borderline tacky, yet its respectful utilization of funk and zany instrumentation make it a respectful effort. Much of the album is cheesy synth pop, though; a tiresome genre in 2021.
It’s difficult to recommend an album like The Breakdown. In some regards, it’s better than many of the albums of the era that inspired it; it’s got an admirable amount of soul and a delightful display of saxophones. On the other hand, it’s merely a retread of everything that inspired it, with no ambition to grow. Synth pop may still be prevalent in later decades, though at least the sound evolved; here they sound straight off a John Hughes film. The acoustic instrumentals alone carry it; Everything else is disposable.
Average
Listen to it here:
Dan Raymond – The Breakdown
