The Beat Surrender

Having gone previously under the name of Final Fantasy, Owen Pallett steps out from behind the moniker for his third release in an effort to distance himself from the Final Fantasy video games series.

It’s a bold move, but one that is likely to work for him as the quality of his music hasn’t changed and if anything will probably see more people checkhim out (Final Fantasy always sounded like too much of a hair band name to me).

Heartland is a stunning piece of work that has been a year in the making and in Pallett’s own words “the album was compositionally modelled upon the principles of electronic music” which explains why this orchestrated record sounds like fluttering electronica on Lewis Takes Off His Shirt and yet on on Flare Gun he trades that sound for a playful, flirty piece that has a real soundtrack feel to it.

The two highlights for me though are probably Lewis Takes Action and Tryst With Mephistopheles which both sound like The Beach Boys singing along to Four Tet’s backing and are brilliant from start to finish. In and amongsat these moments we get do get some more sombre, reflective tracks as well with Midnight Directives opening the album with a tale of loss that bleeds sadness into the track throughout.

An album that is moody in many ways, one minute a piece of music will lift you up, while a lyric is awaiting around the corner to bring you back down and beyond, it’s fascinating, emotive and beautifully pieced together.