Say hello to Shout Out Louds. This may not be your first time coming across them, as the Swedish indie rock quintet has been around since 2001, but they’ve been making some changes. The band just released Optica, their fourth full-length album, on February 26. Unlike their previous albums, which were produced by indie rock personages Phil Ek (who has produced albums for Band Of Horses, Fleet Foxes and The Shins)and Björn Yttling of Peter Bjorn and John (who has produced albums for Primal Scream, Lykke Li and Taken By Trees), the band produced Optica themselves, and took over a year to carefully craft it.
If you haven’t listened to any of Shout Out Louds’ previous material, Optica is a good place to start — the album is accessible and easily digested. Shinier than its comparatively stripped-down predecessor, the record has a strong ’80s pop sound with a refreshing twist, and wouldn’t sound out of place next to Duran Duran on a playlist.
About half of the album is bursting with energy, while the latter half is slower, sometimes sombre, and ultimately closes on a dismal note. These complementary rather than contrary forces form a cohesive whole, greater than either separate part, resulting in a well-balanced album that flows despite its seemingly dramatic shift.
Optica at first listen may even seem perhaps a little too well-balanced and flowy at times — the instrumentation, in theory, can come off as formulaic. It is also, however, quite versatile. Crisp drums drive blown-out synths and guitars that are sometimes scuzzy and jangly (“Sugar,” “Illusions”), and sometimes sparkly and dreamy (“Burn,” “Glasglow”). Swirling synths and stabbing guitar riffs on some tracks can get a little trebly, but with a good “headphones listen,” you’ll find that the high ends are balanced with omnipresent, pulsating bass. Synths and guitars are only the tip of the instrumental iceberg — listen carefully and you will hear subtle, sonorous layers of piano and some unexpected yet catchy flute riffs (“Walking In Your Footsteps,” “Destroy”).
Mostly upbeat and super danceable, Optica gets better with every listen. In support of their album, Shout Out Louds will be embarking on a tour of Europe and North America. You can catch them at SXSW before they go overseas, and when they return to the United States in May.
