An Electro and Synth-pop Soiree from Hologram Teen

R.A.G.
Jul 2
3 min read

Updated: Jul 3

A fresh release from Hologram Teen hits across over of disco pop, synth-pop, dance, funk, and so much more, all rolled into this one fat record that delivers with it a sense of character and personality along with loads of color.

The Captain Fluo album wastes very little time getting to the point with the first track, "Actarus" which gives off this insanely danceable disco pop vibe and this is the kind of track that works wonderfully as an introduction to the rest of the record because it does hold some of the staples that you're going to hear throughout the release itself.

You have classic, vintage-sounding synths, bopping beats that deliver deep grooves, and this spirited approach that feels vivacious and almost bubbly in a sense.

Although this works great to feed into the record, listening to the album in full is the only way to go.

Listening to one or two tracks from this record may give you a gist or idea of what you can expect from the full album but it will not give you the full spectrum of what it all has to offer.

This album is a bit of a full experience. There are plenty of surprises around the corners, killer production approaches that are a little bit outside the box but still have this almost nostalgic familiarity to them, and once you are in the atmosphere that this record gives you, you don't want to leave.

You want to stay and dance.

The record is lush with all kinds of instrumentation that feel both natural and digital, including horns, amazing synths and keys, percussion that sometimes feels like classic beats or live drums, and just oozing with this lively energy that becomes super infectious super quickly.

Tracks like "Wolkman" have no problem giving off bright and vibrant soundscapes, bass lines that hit perfectly, and certainly give you the sense that you should be moving the couch back in the living room because you're about to dance around everywhere.

Again, some tracks that reach into a sort of vintage, almost 80s pop soundscape like "Pack Ur Patience", which utilizes bells, keys, and synths that beckon the decade of the 1980s and the era of synth pop at its height.

I definitely love how this record feeds into those kinds of classic influences and throughout the entire release, you can hear a slew of different influences coming into play.

Some of this record boasts a little bit of ambient or vast undertones, giving the record hints of cinematic backbone, and I really enjoyed that as well because it breaks up the album quite well.

You can hear plenty of experimental approaches in terms of this production and a certain kind of freeing Spirit.

This was a record meant to have a good time, too, in a sense. You want to hear this album in the background of a party, and when I say cinematic, that's exactly what I mean.

Some of these tracks are like the kinds of songs you hear in a film from the 1980s during a party scene where everyone's kind of having a good time and dancing around somewhere in the San Fernando Valley.

For me, tracks like "Lust Pill" capture this sensation damn near perfectly.

This album is a solo project from Stereolab keyboardist Morgane Lhots, and throughout the record, there are some tracks that invite some vocal collaborations, and all of them bring different approaches but still feed into the same aesthetic.

They all understood their mission and brought with them elements of soul and various styles that added new textures and layers to the tracks.

Even without the vocals, the record is completely robust and super in your face, which is something I adored because it kept my attention the entire time.

If you're driving in the car you'll find yourself shaking your butt in your seat. I dare you to listen to this album and not dance.

It simply won't happen.

As I mentioned earlier, there are some great surprises around the corners, amazing collaborations vocally, some cinematic undertones, and plenty more to offer. It's a very flavorful record, so I do again suggest listening to this record all the way through from start to finish in one shot.

Then you can get the full experience it's meant to give.

Also, you may want to listen to this at a good volume level. Listening to this release on a lower volume won't give it enough justice.

Either way, definitely check this one out for yourself because it's certainly a record you don't want to miss, especially if you love any kind of pop-overcoat musically.

Like I said, dance, disco, synth-pop, and just so much more to be soaked in on this record.

But don't just take my word for it. Listen to it.