Easy Eye Sound
Electronic Chronic is the much-awaited follow-up to the Dan Auerbach-fronted group’s 2015 debut, Yours, Dreamily. It’s an album that conquers grief, choosing to bathe in the warm sunshine of memories rather than being dragged into dark hallways of despair. It’s a beautifully fitting tribute to past member Richard Swift, who sadly died in 2018. With a lovely, soulful energy, it’s a record that nods to the past without being rooted to its influences.
The group initially formed in 2014, arising out of sessions of what was supposed to be a solo project for Dan Auerbach. Auerbach was joined by Leon Michels, Nick Movshon, Homer Steinweiss, and Richard Swift, producing a record full of woozy, soul-inspired jams. While touring the album in 2016, the group was already working on new material, a credit to their continued creativity.
However, Swift’s death in 2018 seemingly put the brakes on any future project, despite a wealth of material having been recorded. The record was announced in October last year, with Auerbach describing it as “all about honouring Swift”. Swift’s influence lingers on the album, which was primarily recorded before his death before being fine-tuned later, with Auerbach and Michels co-producing the record.
It’s a more than fitting tribute to Swift, with a wonderfully nostalgic feel to the whole record; a friend being remembered. It’s hazy and easygoing, like a warm summer’s breeze, with hints of 60s/70s funk and soul combined with warm psychedelia. Auerbach’s voice ties it all together brilliantly, dripping with emotion. But this is not a mournful record; it’s a sunny celebration, a group of friends grooving their way through emotional turmoil.
The opener, ‘Keep on Dreamin’, sets the atmosphere perfectly, a hazy, gentle affair, the drifting mariachi horns providing an air of sorrow while Auerbach’s voice is nostalgic. Auerbach sings in the chorus, “Go for a stroll in the park”, which perfectly encapsulates the song. ‘Eyez’ is a woozy slow jam, with its funky bassline and vintage synths giving way to a floaty, dreamy chorus. ‘Heaven Is A Place’ has a spacey, psychedelic feel, with electric guitars flooding in and out, all underpinned by this bubbling, synthy bassline. ‘Californe Interlude’ provides an excellent, spaghetti western-like instrumental, a testament to the group’s abilities as musicians.
‘River’ feels like a slow psychedelic dance, with its organ-like keys and gently floating strings, Auerbach’s voice gently flowing through the middle. ‘Sunshine’ lives up to its title, with its juddering major keys, child-like harmonies, and reverbing horns, creating an upbeat tempo that contrasts with Auerbech’s vocals. It’s the group at its most playful, ending with a bluesy guitar outro that wouldn’t look out of place on a Black Keys track. ‘A Man Will Do Wrong’ is a surprising Irma Thomas cover (changing woman to man), the group turning it into a languid affair, capturing and bending its original soulful energy.
‘Behind The Eyes’ takes an acoustic dive while there are echoes of Hendrix in Auerbach’s voice. ‘Backstage Mess’ is another playful number, with twangy guitars, whistling horns, and some gentle doo-wop harmonies in the background. ‘Love Doesn’t Live Here’ is a gentle psychedelic stroll, one of the album’s few mournful moments, with a lovely piano outro at the end that allows you a moment of reflection. ‘Only For Me’ provides a slow, rhythmic conclusion, drawing you into a gentle waltz.
Electronic Chronic is a wonderful record, full of nostalgic reverie and gorgeous melodies. It’s languid and gentle, inviting you in with open arms and then holding you close. The band reportedly has a huge amount of recorded material, and based on this offering, hopefully, we will hear much more in the future.