Pool
Having pared down from a full band to whatever frontman Aaron Maine can fit in his Manhattan apartment, Porches shift their sound from rustic indie-rock to minimal, melancholic synth pop—a change that only illustrates how identifiable Maine’s voice and songwriting is to begin with. Channeling the detached romanticism of ‘80s heroes Depeche Mode and New Order (“Braid,” “Car”) alongside canny distillations of soft rock and trance (“Pool,” “Shaver”), *Pool* sustains a mood at once cozy and chilly, hinting at depth but staying alluringly at arm’s length.
On Pool, Aaron Maine has shed the murky folk of previous recordings for a homespun electronic sound that consciously pulls away from the "rock" elements. Greta Kline, who fronts Frankie Cosmos, loans backing vocals or basslines to many of the best songs. You can imagine the shy kids dance parties the album will soundtrack, but Pool is also an introspective record, tailormade for lonesome nights.
Aaron Maine has discovered a variety of electronic toys in the intervening years between 2013s Slow Dance in the Cosmos and his latest release Pool under his Porches banner, with the synthesised stylings adding a musical darkness to the already shadowy corners of his source material.
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From dreamy Americana to his new-wave tinged dark pop, the early stages of Porches found Aaron Maine penning some very evocative narratives...
'Pool' by Porches, album review by Graham Caldwell. 'Pool' comes out on February 5th via Domino Records. The current single is "Hour" and is now streaming.
If Porches’ Aaron Maine is slack when it comes to lyrical depth, he nevertheless knows how to imbue an album with clear themes that permeate every track.