In the times of Cobra Starship and Breathe Carolina, it is always extremely refreshing when a band in the scene uses electronics in an effective, resectable manner. But Owl City's respectability is not all that makes them refreshing; their music is a tall, cold drink on a hot day at the beach, a piece of ocean paradise in an endless summer. Rarely can the artificial boops of electronica sound so natural and organic, but Owl City will take you from your smelly bedroom or sticky car and transport you to the breezy beach of a tropical island.
Owl City is the project of Adam Young, who also fronts Port Blue, among other projects. For someone who lives in the beach-less state of Minnesota, Young is an expert at creating the feel of the ocean waters lapping against the shore without having to resort to actually using sound effects. His music has the very uncommon ability to transport the listener to a specific mood, and even more uncommon is that this mood is one of paradise.
Many of you have heard Owl City's single, "Fireflies," whether on the radio or after downloading it for free on Amazon or iTunes, so today I am highlighting "Cave In," one of my favorite songs on Owl City's major label debut Ocean Eyes. Though each song is good on its own, the real treat is listening to the album continuously, as it will teleport you to 56 minutes of sunny ocean breeze and warm bue waters. "Cave In" begins the album and is a perfect introduction. The music suits the mood perfectly, completley devoid of anything urban and filled instead with uplifting yet lightweight beats and boops. Young's voice lacks any hint of seduction and instead is the voice of innocence and timeless happiness. He intersperces his verses with brief interludes of sound, and it is in these interludes where the ocean really comes to life. Young's words are simple and cute, but carry a certain level of emotional depth in their slight melancholy, as when Young reminds us that "Every mushroom cloud has a silver lining."
You might think that real electronica is fidget house with big beats and sharp sounds, or that pop punk is the only music for the summer, but if you give Owl City a chance you will see that musical paradise is not far away. With Adam Young's beats, boops, and cutesy lyrics, you can forgot your woes and lay on the beach in the sun from the comfort of your own computer.
RIYL Lights, The Secret Handshake, The Postal Service, vacationing in Hawaii
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