Summary:Mixed by Chris Coady, the third full-length release for the Aaron Maine's project features contributions from such artists as Jason Arce, Bea1991, Bryndon Cook, Alexander Giannascoli, Dev Hynes, Maya Laner, Kaya Wilkins, and Cameron Wisch, as well as his own father.
Austere without the compulsion of self-restraint and experimental without the drag of formlessness, The House confirms Porches’ primacy as indie-dance mavens.
‘Find Me’ and ‘Anymore’ channel the danceable charm of ‘Pool’, while the powerful swell of ‘Now The Water’ proves as immersive as its title suggests. By and large, though, The House is marked by a hands-off recording style that dials back on the fine-tuned production of its predecessor.
Imbued with a melancholy warmth, The House is accomplished, jaded, romantic, and intricate in its straightforwardness. It’s synthpop you sink into, that you dance alone to--most of all, it’s synthpop that leaves you feeling nourished.
Lively but also introspective, The House ultimately explores growth through personal reflection, while nestled in a cocoon of immersive electronics. [Feb 2018, p.30]
Punctuating The House’s actual songs are occasionally baffling interludes (one, “Åkeren,” is sung entirely in Norwegian, a first for Porches), which play more like unfinished sketches than intentional moments of quiet.
My first time listening to Porches, and I was pleasantly surprised. This album has really good beats and you can relate well to the pain he isMy first time listening to Porches, and I was pleasantly surprised. This album has really good beats and you can relate well to the pain he is feeling. Good album.…Expand
Porches continue the intoxicating retro-80s synthpop and intimate songwriting from their fantastic Pool with the House. There are somePorches continue the intoxicating retro-80s synthpop and intimate songwriting from their fantastic Pool with the House. There are some fantastic cuts like the techno dance number Find Me, the worldbeat-influenced Anymore, and Leave the House and Now the Water continues Aaron Maine's winning streak of great indie pop cuts with languid-yet-hypnotic atmosphere. However, there are a ton of cuts on here that feel more like filler, particularly the ones under 2 minutes. Country feels like a demo rather than a lead single, Akeren just hides it's bland composition with the Norwegian singing, and Swimmer is not a heartbreaking piano ballad from a robot, it's just obnoxious. But it's not like there are songs here that aren't underwhelming when they are longer. Wobble is a repetitive ballad with some of the worst synth tones for the "solo," By My Side is a bland 80s ballad that would have been found on a b-side to a beaten up 45 in a Goodwill. Of course this can be looked past for a solid indie pop album, however that is if you can look past Maine's languid delivery, which from my understanding is always the biggest deal breaker for people not into Porches. Which I can understand why, and there are times where the use of auto-tune does feel like overkill (particularly on Anymore, which I do like by the way, By My Side, Wobble, and Swimmer). The album is not as consistent as Pool, but if you were hooked on their past effort, there are tunes here that will win you over. Maybe not worth revisiting a ton, but still worthwhile in my eyes.…Expand
For me “The House” is not too relevant than other projects from Porches. Many of the tracks are eccentric andIt is a softy-quality record.
For me “The House” is not too relevant than other projects from Porches. Many of the tracks are eccentric and good to listen. Aaron Maine’s vocals are moderate, and the melody sluggishness contribute to embrace us in this context of ‘safe-and-sound” environment.
Shouting out the well lyricism in “Country”, “Understanding”, “Now the Water, “Ono” and “By my side”. The great interludes in this record and capability of transform sadness in poetry. The weird rhythms and creativity. “The house” is a good album to SHOUT OUT 2018.
Favorite Tracks: “Leave the House”, “Find Me”, “Understanding”, “Country”, “By my Side”, “Ono”.…Expand
A head dive into a turbulent ocean, I think this would be the best way to describe the experience described by enjoying Porches' newest workA head dive into a turbulent ocean, I think this would be the best way to describe the experience described by enjoying Porches' newest work "The House" released on the Domino label. The first impression we have is an intimidating work by the hoarse vocals and so unattractive in conjunction with an experimental retro sound so unconvincing that unfortunately sums up the soundtrack of the album and continues until its term.
Simple vocal verses and raw in contrast to a synthetically worked and sometimes lazy instruments build the work that however lyrically sincere is not so pleasant to hear.
In relation to the lyric part, it is important to emphasize the quality of the compositions present in the album since they are the only positive part of the work. The theme usually marked by introspectivity and melancholia ranges from personal conflicts to interpersonal relationships in a sensitive emotional odyssey in a way in which despair and anxiety are quite present.
Finally, we must emphasize that the final result is so little substantial or relevant when your previous work. Banal and tedious are appropriate terms to name this work that will surely be forgotten the moment after the album ends and is just a blur in the artist's discography.…Expand
