The Last Mixed Tape reviews Popular Demain, the debut full-length studio album from instrumental four-piece Alarmist.
The language of music is a universal one. The communicative back and forth of sound, colored by moods and tones, that permeates from Popular Demain is an exuberant reminder of this. Alarmist’s melodic synths, jolting guitars and rolling drums all speak to one another throughout the course of the album leaving little need for words.
In fact, an argument can be made that the record is so engrained in its own vocabulary that the music of Popular Demain is a deeply lyrical one in and of itself. Songs such as ‘Petrichor’ and ‘Morning, Kepler’ stop and start conversationally, as the big-broad production of the L.P. leaves enough space for melodic or percussive retorts to sharply bounce off one another. While tracks like ‘Lost Console’ speak of gentler things.
In this way, the experience of listening to Popular Demain is one of deep concentration. I found myself trying to decipher the meaning behind it all and without sounding too pretentious (which is rarely a band thing in my opinion) I found that the act of attempting to understand the music was the entire point of it all. Looking at sound (or this case Alarmist’s sound) from a different perspective.
The ability to translate emotions and evoke memory from music is a difficult one, sure there are songs that we have an instant connection with due to our own experiences, but with Popular Demain Alarmist work from the ground up to create a record that has its own story buried deep within the twisting musical interplay. It’s not an album to passively listen to, but the reward for engaging with it is a lasting one.
Rating: 9/10
Popular Demain by Alarmist is out now.
