Album Review: Aloha Little Windows Run Right Through

Originally hailing from the American Midwest, Aloha landed their first record deal on the basis of a single demo tape. That was back in 1997, and they have released six albums in the interim, and gone through a couple of line-up changes.

Currently consisting of Cale Parks, Matthew Gengler, Tony Cavallario and T.J Lippie, they approach their music with a fearless attitude, creating an eclectic blend of genres. There's a psychedelic aspect to their sound - it's part indie-pop and part experimental rock, with subtle jazz elements thrown in. But there is a musical maturity at work here too: Little Windows Cut Right Through is shot through with a distinctly '80s prog-rock vibe: the result is fuzzy, dizzying and just a little bit intoxicating.

The album opens with the bright but dreamy 'Signal Drift', enveloping us in hazy waves of synth, gossamer flute and unrelenting marimba. Themes of self-doubt, existentialism and reflection run through the veins of the record, reflected in the lyrics of songs such as 'On Moon Man', singer Tony Cavallario delivering a message that is fundamentally bleak. "To be human is to be terrified/ nothing scares you more than wasting time." This combination of dark themes and a light, dream-like sound creates a strange but utterly delicious tension: the music is delicate, raw and tight. One to savour.