Last Liasse by helen island

Is sadness political? For those of us who are lucky enough to be spared from the violence of war, if we have enough resources to keep the lights on and put food on the table, happiness feels like an obligation. But brain chemistry isn’t always rational. And when you’re already on the way down into a deep depression, shaming your own sadness as a bourgeois indulgence only drives you deeper into self-pity. These themes of luxurious melancholy are explored on the new album Last Liasse by helen island, a collection of dark ambient synthpop imbued with both breathtaking opulence and somber gloom. Through a haze of wispy deconstructed electronica, delicate piano trills create a sense of disconnection from an unreachable past, intertwining sweet nostalgia and heartbreaking sorrow. The only way to escape this despair is to disassociate on the dancefloor, as ethereal vocalizations are backed by muffled kick drum keeping a steady swaying pace perfect for pumping through goth club speakers. Lush string flourishes evoke sonic imagery of baroque decadence, yet the slow strumming of downtempo acoustic guitar grounds the piece in a feeling of forlorn loneliness. With its rich sound that weaves elegance with solemnity, the romantic depression of Last Liasse just goes to show that money doesn’t always buy happiness. -Kalen