Eighties synth Matters

There’s no doubt St. Lucia draws some of their inspiration from ’80s synthpop music we all hate to love, but the genre has worked for a lot of artists. The mastermind behind St. Lucia, Jean-Philip Grobler, creatively balanced the band’s previous LP with synthesizers and hooky dance numbers which resulted in an impressive debut.

On early listens of Matter, the band’s second LP, St. Lucia stays true to its nature. Lead single, “Dancing on Glass,” carries strong drumbeats and a sizable amount of synthesizers for a strong opening. Grobler sings, “How long ‘til we find dancing is dangerous/ How long ‘til we find the devil inside of us…Dancing on Glass,” convincing listeners the music he creates is addicting and satisfying. The album doesn’t let up and becomes almost overwhelming. “Help Me Run Away” and “Physical” are fast-paced and booming with heavy sound.

“Love Somebody” is the LPs strongest track, taking St. Lucia fans to a place they are unfamiliar with. Grobler shows his range on the soothing slow-jam and is a welcome treat for an album that is overdone.

• Album: Matter
• Artist: St. Lucia
• Label: Columbia Records
• Songs: (1) Do You Remember (2) Home (3) Dancing on Glass (4) Physical (5) Game 4 U (6) The Winds of Change (7) Love Somebody (8) Rescue Me (9) Stay (10) Help Me Run Away (11) Always