Copeland - Blushing (Review)

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When I first heard this album, I was almost taken aback by the darkness that permeates throughout. This album begins and ends with a softly jarring oomph. So many textures are there. So many vocal effects, tripping and glitching and bending octaves. Yet, it still feels like a Copeland album. Like a lush Eat, Sleep, Repeat that is attempting to smother you to be heard.

By the time track 2 rolls around, you probably feel you have a sense of what path this album is going to take, yet there are surprises on nearly every track. Truly, "Lay Here" evokes a darkness whilst somehow musically riffing off of semblances of Donkey Kong Country synth lines. This album doesn't dip its toes into this stuff though; it goes whole hog and owns it.

When you realize a drum machine and synth lines has evolved into a full drum kit and a horn solo you're not as surprised as you are along for the ride. Then a sax comes in and you realize that "Suddenly" is taking this album to new directions still.

Still, for me, what sums this album up best is "Strange Flower", which is what I'm left with when the album is no longer spinning:

Call me crazy; some nights I think it's true
Call me desperate; at times I am for you
Call me f*** up; at least I pull myself up

Overall, this album is worth your time and a great step forward for Copeland 2.0. It's comparable to the jump between In Motion and Eat, Sleep, Repeat. While Ixora was somehow run-of-the-mill Copeland, this truly finds Copeland experimenting again like the aforementioned album and You Are My Sunshine, which both found Copeland absolving themselves of any Coldplay-type song structures and heading into a realm that is better listened to than talked about.

8.9/10