This album starts off with “Lavender Burning”, and right off the bat I love just how textured and rich this is. One thing I’ve always appreciated about Half Waif is how she’s so great at keeping you on your toes. I love the very cold, unforgiving and quite frankly hard to place atmosphere. But Nandi just sounds so warm and brings this down so much. This is a sweet, personal, endearing ballad from Nandi. And I have to say, she does an incredible job of bringing in human feelings and emotion to her very abstract brand of Synth Pop. I love also how as this track rolls on how the instrumental slowly makes its way in and gets more and more animated until it really pops in the last minute or so. I actually really wish that this more direct instrumental was around for more of this tune. I have to say though, “Lavender Burning” is a solid intro. It’s nothing too shocking or wowing, but it’s solid. Now, “Torches” is much more direct. There’s a pulsating beat, and Nandi’s vocals while drenched in effects are seriously emotional. Now, I really love this tune, everything about it. The production is special and shows Half Waif fearlessly going out into the more experimental realm of Synth Pop. Like, there are some pretty wild and out-there beats here, and it does get pretty intense. But of course, the star remains Nandi and just how passionate she sounds. “Torches” is one hell of a track and a pretty incredible single. Then we have “Keep It Out”, and I can’t help but just eat up all of these textures and production. Like, there is some seriously beautiful stuff going on here. We’re back to a sort of slower, patience-testing feel. But I feel like in moments like this Nandi really does an incredible job of keeping everyone's attention. Her performance is tender and sweet and seems completely in control of this smooth, electronic beat. Sure, this is absolutely a Synth Pop tune, but it’s a very low-key and moody one, perfect for late night driving. Now, “Lilac House” may be the most straightforward tune here But it’s also the first tune that doesn’t completely blow me away. It’s just sort of obnoxious compared to the very classy and interesting other tracks. The beat here almost takes away from Nandi’s performance. For me, “Lilac House” is a little unfocused. I do, however, love the intensity of the beat here, and Nandi’s performance is commendable even with distractions. But like, when the beat smooths out in the last 30 seconds or so, I feel like this is so much more interesting.
On the other hand, “In The Evening” is just so haunting and genuinely eerie. It’s dark and nocturnal, but Nandi’s performance is just so warm and welcoming which gives this track some wild dynamics. The backing vocals are so angelic and beautiful, and that heavy production in the later moments is some of my favorite on the album. For a more stripped down track here, “In The Evening” is nearly perfect. It’s practically good enough to be a single. Not only is it hip, it’s gorgeous. Now, “Solid 2 Void” shows Half Waif dipping into almost a Dream Pop atmosphere. It’s absolutely charming to be honest, even though there’s still a very left-field element to it. It’s smooth, and it’s one of the more straightforward tunes, and by far the most straightforward tune here. But it still shows Half Waif is really doing some stuff you have to listen to. It’s eerie still, but it’s beautiful. Then we have “Silt”, which is easily the most troubled and sinister track yet. It almost sounds like it’s sampling one of those tracks from Twin Peaks. But between that and Nandi’s most haunting performance yet, as well as the glitchy production, there is some seriously ear-grabbing stuff here. It’s moments like this that really push Half Waif beyond just another SynthPop tune. Because let’s be honest, at it’s core this is certainly IS a Pop tune. But it’s one that’s eerie and beautiful, even dreamy. But most of all, it’s infectious and sticks with you immediately. But then I hear tracks like “Back In Brooklyn”, and all I have to say is are you serious? This is the last thing I want to hear from Half Waif ever. This track is nothing but bland, Singer-Songwriter Pop. And oh boy does it ever stick out like a sore thumb. Obviously, Nandi still sounds amazing and emotional, and as far as her performance goes I have nothing bad to say. It’s actually one of her strongest performances here. But as a whole, this track is a downer.
Now, “Parts” is much spacier and contains some of the most prominent synths of the album. The atmosphere however never gets too cold no matter how synthetic it all gets. It’s actually quite warm and inviting, even when those heavier and more pulsating rhythms come thumping in. This album was seriously well produced and thought out, and like I said before, underneath this all there is a tremendous Pop tune. “Parts” is seriously cool, and continues to show just how unique Half Waif is. But it continues to be these much quieter, stripped-down tracks like “Leveler” that lose me. It’s not that Nandi can’t sing, obviously, she can. But she just brings so little new material to this almost Alternative R&B sound. It’s still endearing and beautiful, but it’s not the sound I want to hear from her. Then we have “Salt Candy”, and sadly this really isn’t much in the direction I want to hear. It’s a shame because Nandi sounds incredible in her performance. But what is this track doing to prove to me that there’s anything different about Half Waif compare to other Singer-Songwriters? Absolutely nothing. Thankfully, this tracks a little before the halfway mark does get things rolling with some very wonky production and some heavy synths. Not to mention, I do love just how hulking and strong this atmosphere is. Now, I have to say, “Ocean Scope” as a finale is actually a chilling ballad. And while things are much more stripped down still, I think this is one of the more hypnotic and chilling performances here. It’s not just her and her piano, it’s Nandi making this big wonderful atmosphere that just keeps getting bigger and bolder by the second. I love the pulsing beat and just how intense everything gets. I love this sound for her. But if she’s intent on continuing down this more ballad route, let’s keep it in this realm.
Rating: 8.1/10
Give A Listen To: "Torches", "Keep It Out", "In The Evening", "Silt"
Genre: Synth Pop / Dream Pop
Overall Thoughts: Nandi Rose Plunkett returns under the Half Waif name with an album far more lush and textured than her debut. It was clear right off the bat that Half Waif was on to something with their very layered, atmospheric brand of Synth Pop. But this time around, the vocal performances are more passionate, the production is stellar, and the songwriting is miles ahead of where we left off. Now, some of the more stripped down tunes that make Nandi come off as more of a Singer-Songwriter than anything, and not in a good way. But thankfully the majority of this album is packed with moody yet beautiful Synth Pop that's far from "by the books".
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