Strange and indefinable, Does You takes the listener on a nuanced journey from quirk and whimsy to melancholy and yearning.
Chairlift, Brooklyn’s latest synth proteges by way of Boulder, CO, possess that rare charm that transcends any self-aware genre or calculated scene. On Does You Inspire You the trio patches together an exquisite fantasy-pop/new wave/folk pastiche recalling Cocteau Twins but deviate with their own haunted pacing, absurdist humor, and moody vocal styling. Showing an affinity for the gothic, arresting frontwoman/keyboardist Caroline Polachek weaves even a banal subject into a magical, seductive soundscape in “Evident Utensil,” their effervescent ode to pencils. Strange and indefinable, Does You takes the listener on a nuanced journey from quirk and whimsy to melancholy and yearning. The album’s cool temperature is balanced by the uplift of its exalted riffs and melodies—overall, an inspirational debut.
