Caves

On her previous album, Nashville-based singer/songwriter Tristen crafted highly melodic, ambitiously arranged indie pop with an Americana tinge. For the follow-up, she leaves the twangy touches behind to focus on a bigger, more electronic-based sound. It\'s pure pop delivered on a cinematic-sounding scale, with a seeming nod to big-production synth-pop pieces of the ‘80s. While *Caves* has its quiet, reflective moments, “Catalyst” boasts a straight-up disco beat boosted by buzzing, angular synths. And despite its baroque-pop intro, “House of War” quickly finds its way to a midtempo dance-pop feel. Tristen has a voice that sounds equally comfortable leading the charge on a soaring, epic track like the album opener “No One’s Gonna Know” and on a low-key song like the wispy “Monster.” Though Tristen was still a Nashville resident as of this record’s release, *Caves* invites one to wonder whether her earlier earthy tones represented Music City’s influence on the Illinois native and if this album is the sound of a woman fully embracing her true pop personality.

On Caves, Tristen’s formerly distinctive songwriting style is overpowered by uninspired, overbearing production.