FIRST LISTEN: iamamiwhoami - Blue

iamamiwhoami’s first album, Kin was among my favorites in 2012. I was then still under the spell of their stunning, mysterious video series, but, even though I still like the album, I had some sort of “they just cook with water” moment, when I listened to the music without the visuals. We saw them live then and while it is a beautiful show, it felt a little bit too much like a happening, with the music being more like a backdrop to give the audience something to move to.

This all led to a diminished enthusiasm on my side when iamamiwhoami started the run up to their second album Blue. And indeed, there is similar melodic, pleasant electro pop like on the first album, with black shadows taking the place of Kin’s furry monsters in the videos. When listening to Blue it is hard for me not to let my mind wander off, perhaps to similar to the places shown in the accompanying videos: to beautiful seascapes, fresh and clean. But when I think about it, that’s not even a bad feat for an album: it can help to brighten up a dreary morning commute or help to see the light again after repeated listening to Gazelle Twin or The Cure.

Correction: Blue is their third album. Kin either their first or second, dependent on how you count.