Washed Out - Within and Without

  by Tara McEvoy

published: 8 / 7 / 2011

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Review

Damon Albarn will always be inextricably linked with Britpop. No matter how many car insurance ads Iggy Pop makes in his spare time, he’ll undoubtedly be remembered for his contributions to punk. Genres can be both a blessing and a curse. So what has Ernest Greene, aka Washed out, chosen to make of the category he’s been lumped into, Chillwave? Quite a lot, as it happens – and a bleeding great album in the process. From the opener, an ambient slice of Zero 7-esque dance to closing ‘A Dedication’, one is struck by the notion that Greene’s conception of his music extends beyond anyone genre, as it encompasses everything from blissed out electronica, as pioneered by Goldfrapp, to the slightly darker turns taken on songs such as ‘Echoes’, which recalls the work of Florida’s Twin Shadow. Yet, unlike other Chillwave’s other leading lights, Toro y Moi and Neon Indian, Greene’s music is possessed of a rare depth, soul and passion shining through in his vocals. With ‘Within and Without’, Washed Out has transcended the shackles out of the ‘chillwave’ label to bring us a piece of work that’s refreshing, astounding, and frequently brilliant, all on its own merit.

Track Listing:-

1 Eyes Be Closed
2 Echoes
3 Amor Fati
4 Soft
5 Far Away
6 Before
7 You And I
8 Within And Without
9 A Dedication

Label Links:-

http://www.weirdworldrecordco.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Weird-World-1
https://twitter.com/weirdworldrecs
https://www.youtube.com/user/weirdworl
https://plus.google.com/10038032670041