Living Phantoms
Memory Palace
(Synth Records)
Sometimes we need an album that helps us escape, and Memory Palace certainly fits the bill. Living Phantoms does a great job of that on its most recent release, effortlessly channeling multiple styles of electronic music to create an album full of lush, soothing 80s-style dream pop with some nice synthwave flourishes. The one man band started by Will Benoit, the guitarist for the great hazy, spacey, post-hardcore group Constants, has been silent since its 2013 debut EP Shiver showed off a style more in line with the indie electronic of the time, chillwave, albeit with better production.
Fast forward a few years, and Living Phantoms still play around with hazy, ethereal synthpop, but things feel a tad bit more immediate. Sure, Memory Palace prefers to evoke relaxed afternoons among friends more than a night club, but Benoit definitely took a broader approach here. Thankfully, that paid off well, with songs like “My World Spinning” and “Faded Memories” adding a punchier synthwave influence to his Palace. It recalls the way a group like Gunship (also made up of former post-hardcore band members – Fightstar) embraces pop hooks and a neon-colored sonic palate and puts them to great use. What helps Memory Palace stick out, and what is quite noticeable the more you listen to the record, is how dense Benoit has made these songs. There’s a lot going on, but it’s never distracting. Instead, these tracks feel purposefully composed from the mind of a rock/metal musician than a typical electronic songwriter. No offense to all electronic artists, but this layering is a nice touch, and it’s done remarkably well.
The result is an album that wins you over initially with its airy atmosphere and melodic undercurrent, but you stay for the impressive songwriting and delightful compositions. Electronic side gigs are a dime a dozen lately, but it’s clear that Living Phantoms are the real deal here. Memory Palace feels like the perfect salve for escaping the real world and nodding along to the surreal landscapes Benoit crafts.
