Passion Pit – ‘Chunk of Change’

Passion Pit’s Michael Angelakos is the latest in a long list of purveyors to present that old musical dichotomy – do you dance ecstatically, or sob until your heart breaks?  And as he forlornly half shrieks-half weeps, “Have you seen me cry, tears like diamonds?” during EP opener  I Got Your Number, you can’t help but feel his star-speckled, glittering dream-pop, anchored by a melancholic undercurrent, emphasises this dilemma perfectly.

Chunk of Change is sparser, yet more intimate, than MGMT, and less fantastical, but more misty-eyed than Empire of the Sun. But Angelakos borrows the colourful synth lines and blissed-out euphoria of both while maintaining a pretty lo-fi, simplistic sonic backdrop.  

It’s astute to say that although Passion Pit’s sound seems most influenced by the tumbling soundscapes of Avalanches and The Postal Service, it also borrows heavily from the 80’s – Smile on Me and Live to Tell the Tale are both awash with sunshine and somewhat cheesy keyboards. On the other hand, Cuddle Fuddle begins with a chirpy, twinkling intro that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Lily Allen album.  The aforementioned I Got Your Number buzzes with hazy kaleidoscope beats and an almost timid xylophone  ripple that runs throughout the track.  Accompanied by woozy chants, it  remains almost linear until Angelakos raises his voice and the whole thing is transformed by almost heartbreaking  emotion. 

As the story goes, Angelakos, ever one to laugh in the face of conventional romanticism, recorded these songs in 2006 for his girlfriend as a Valentines present. Call it paranoia if you like, but after discovering this, all six tracks seem to be awash with a pathos of love – particularly Sleepyhead, where romance throbs in the fuzzy cotton wool vocals and heart felt drum beats as much as the childlike handclaps and floaty electro.  All of a sudden every lyric seems seeped in affection, too personal, almost intrusive to listen to. 

Despite it’s lean disco-pop sensibility, the EP has one serious downfall – all six tracks are abhorrently beleaguered by Angelakos’s voice. Whoever told the man he could sing should be shot. Although his vocal delivery is rather less than portentous on I Got Your Number, it’s nothing compared to the abrasive squawk he displays on Better Things. “Baby don’t be unhappy, don’t be sad,” he shrieks like an unhinged gate – good God, it’s actually impossible not to wince. By the time we reach the apex of Live To Tell the Tale , as he hits the high note of the chorus both hysterically and completely out of tune all the while sounding like he has bad toothache, the urge to actually laugh out loud is unsmotherable.  Perhaps this is the reason why the vocals are mixed with such reverberative feedback and why some Passion Pit live sets are getting less than favourable reviews. 

It’s more than evident that Chunk of Change is a work of serious potential, but also one which needs work. We’ve been promised a full length album later this year following this taster, all we can hope is that Angelakos puts in some serious hours working on those vocal chords and that the next offering  sounds less like small animals getting trampled, and more like the sparkling party pop it was made to be. 

On The Stereo: PASSION PIT – Chunk Of Change

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Dannii Leivers