The Young Machines

Album Review

Marc Bianchi has long been self-conscious about his vocals. In fact, on The Young Machines he even brings it to listeners' attention. "Like that kid who asked me if I knew I couldn't sing/That's like asking a blind man if he knows that he can't see," he sobs on "Meet the Pressure." It's not as bad as he thinks, though his soft vocals may still need some fine-tuning. And boy, does he grieve over girlfriends in "Girl Problem" and "My Girlfriend's Boyfriend." Bianchi may be as gloomy as ever, but after moving from California to Texas and from Tiger Style to Mush Records, Her Space Holiday maintains its lush IDM-powered indie pop. The synthetic string arrangements, most notably on "Sleepy California," supply heartfelt bliss, as Bianchi's classical music influence is fully explored. "Tech Romance" joins lovely violins with hip-hop beats, further developing Bianchi's production skills. "The Luxury of Loneliness" is gracefully ambient, but with dismal confessions such as "I'm losing all my friends," someone should keep an eye on this guy.