Background
Pegboard Nerds have been a group since 2005, when its members, Alexander Odden and Michael Parsberg, met. The name Pegboard Nerds is actually an anagram of their last names, Odden and Parsberg. They've released a number of EPs and singles, most recently through the label Monstercat. "Pink Cloud EP," their most recent release which released today, is part of their motion through the month of October to raise money to fight breast cancer.
Review
Listen to "Pink Cloud EP"
It's certainly strange to hear an EP very focused around pop-y future bass from artists so hellbent on heavy glitchy bass music, but while it's a little rough around the edges, "Pink Cloud EP" is a fluffy cloud of happy future music. "Pink Cloud EP" is the Nerd's first foray into a lighter, more relaxed style of music in a while, and it shows. It's painfully obvious when their old style seeps through the cracks of the songs, and it somewhat distills pink future world that they were trying to imagine. This is mostly obvious in "Emoji," the first track off the EP, from which it seems that Nerds cant find the balance between the monster basses that they're used to and the largely unexplored territory that is future music. Luckily, "Pink Cloud (feat. Max Collins)" is much better in that regard, and, as the title track, I sure hope it would be. The title track is a bright, upbeat future track with catchy vocals and a tune to remember. It's cleanly produced and is a much better showcase of what the Nerds can actually do with future music. Same goes for "Just Like That (feat. Johnny Graves)," which is another well orchestrated future track with the signature gated synth stabs and pitched vocal hits that are so common in the genre. Taking a break from the future, "Downhearted (feat. Jonny Rose)" is the next track, and it's a melodic blend between big progressive house and slower, more relaxed indie dance. Whatever the genre is technically called, "Downhearted (feat. Jonny Rose)," with its slow groove and festival sound, is another standout track on "Pink Cloud EP." In a complete switch-up "End Is Near (Fire In The Hole VIP)" is a return to the Nerds's original glitched out growls, wobbles, and lasers sound layered on top of a drumstep beat with pitched vocals. Standalone, it's a fantastic electronic track, but, on the future-meets-synthpop album that is "Pink Cloud EP," it has no place. It's out of line and a strange way to finish off such a relaxed album.
Usually, hearing an artists signature in their tracks is a sign of individuality and uniqueness, but in this case Pegboard Nerds's huge basses and energetic leads don't lend themselves to such a clean, simple, synth-pop-y genre, and "Pink Cloud EP" suffers from this slightly. But, for such an unexpected venture into the more relaxed side of electronic music, "Pink Cloud manages to produce a few gems. 6.5/10
Sources
Wikipedia | Pegboard Nerds
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