A long running electro-pop outfit from Montreal, Young Galaxy’s Stephen Ramsay and Catherine McCandless are the driving force behind this installment of sounds. Though they’ve released albums on some of Canada’s most noteworthy indie rock labels, this time they went the DIY route with a fully independent record.
“Under My Wing” starts the album with folk influenced pop that’s light and airy but still weaves in and out of playful electronica moments with smooth vocals from McCandless guiding the way. “Seeing Eye Dog” follows with breathy and minimal, subdued sounds that are as mysterious as they are enchanting. Further along, “Catch Your Breath” brings beats to a fuller, pop-influenced affair, and “Show You The Valley” pairs well with the former as it’s a lush and progressive setting where synth shines bright as McCandless shows us the depth of her impressive vocal range.
The second half of the album brings us surprises in the way of the ambient, droning opening of “Frontier” that evolves into dark, cryptic sounds by the time the nine minute track finishes, and the sleek and stylish “Stay For Real,” which could easily soundtrack a night at the club. Near the end, “Devotion” recruits spacey sounds for a busy, futuristic moment of indie pop, and “Elusive Dream” ends the listen with a sophisticated and soulful formula that even brings in some R&B nods to the down tempo closer.
Though the band scaled back on this sixth album to just a duo, their intimate dream pop is full of emotion and exploratory ideas that are intellectual, layered and never short on creativity. With half the tracks surpassing the five-minute mark and the remainder getting very close to it, Young Galaxy is talented enough to never out welcome their stay on this highly memorable and artistically grand effort.
