Logo
DiS Needs You: Save our site »
  • Logo_home2
  • Records
  • In Depth
  • In Photos
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Search
  • Community
  • Records
  • In Depth
  • Blog
  • Community

THIS SITE HAS BEEN ARCHIVED AND CLOSED.

Please join the conversation over on our new forums »

If you really want to read this, try using The Internet Archive.

Wild Nothing

Indigo

Label: Captured Tracks Release Date: 31/08/2018

105824
Kellmill by Kellan Miller September 14th, 2018

Wild Nothing's Indigo is certainly Jack Tatum’s most ambitious effort in quite literally every category. It's defined by complex orchestral arrangements and an overriding sense of meticulous attention to detail. Tatum frequently employs myriad studio tricks that makes his revered debut Gemini feel relatively tame by comparison. Like all of his releases so far, the best moments are wrapped in lush constellations of sound and an emphasis on an aura of reverie. However, the sheer focus on experimentation for experimentation’s sake make Indigo a frustrating listen at times.



There are plenty of abracadabra moments littered throughout the 11-song collection. It commences with standard Tatum fare, ‘Letting Go’, which abounds in flourishing synths and dreamy lyrics basking in romantic yearning. Tatum’s affinity for crisp, burgeoning lo-fi production lends itself well here, generating an added degree of sprawling escapism underpinning the verses. He mingles acoustic guitars with operatic strings on ‘Oscillation’, exhibiting his newly garnered production techniques in full display to a dazzling finish. But as I mentioned before, this propensity for experimentalism does not always render shining results, and when Tatum fails to weave the standalone pieces together in seamless fashion it smacks rather forcefully of ennui. ‘Partners In Motion’ is a pretty humdrum marriage of psychedelia, funky synths, and hints of jazz that ultimately coalesce into nothing even remotely resonant.

But aside from Indigo’s production value, Tatum’s sonically intrepid manner frees him to place a premium on more intricate lyricism than the sum of his past projects exude. We witnessed the evolution of Tatum’s poetic gifts on 2016’s Life of Pause, but here he ups the stakes even further. Bolstered by an infectious riff, ‘Wheel of Misfortune’ is mainly carried out by Tatum’s insistence on anecdotal detail and painting imagistic worlds for the listener, even if those worlds are somewhat simplistic in nature. The subject matter tends to remain the same - Tatum’s desire for romantic bliss and the nostalgia of failed relationships - but the songs are increasingly grounded in more realistic portraits than even Gemini’s best moments. But Tatum manages to maintain the delicate balance between enhanced lyricism and not overburdening listeners with convoluted attempts at prosaic grandiosity. A track like ‘Through Windows’ is deeply absorbing in the way he uses simple, conversational diction to relay a story as if speaking to a group of friends by the campfire.

The constant ricocheting of lofty instrumentation with visceral, storybook lyrics make Indigo an at times arresting listen, like the shimmering ambiance of ‘Flawed Translation’.

But oftentimes the formula comes up short. ‘Canyon on Fire’ is bathed in a melange of distortion and entrancing synths, but unfortunately never amounts to anything more than an adventurous soundscape for Tatum to flail under. ‘Bend’ is a dismal mismatch of airy tones and possibly Tatum’s most monotonous vocals to date. This issue is emblematic of his career thus far: technically expanding his artistic prowess while failing to capture the immaculately cohesive, enthralling atmosphere of Gemini.

Some would argue that the lionising of Tatum following his debut was premature, but when his recipe comes to fruition, it’s exceedingly difficult to cast him off. As Tatum evolves as an artist, hopefully he will eventually be able to wed his sonic wanderlust to the adhesive lifeblood of his earlier work.

![105824](http://dis.resized.images.s3.amazonaws.com/540x310/105824.jpeg)
  • 6
    Kellan Miller's Score
Log-in to rate this record out of 10
Share on
   
Love DiS? Become a Patron of the site here »


LATEST


  • Drowned in Sound is back!


  • Drowned in Sound's 21 Favourite Albums of the Year: 2020


  • Drowned in Sound to return as a weekly newsletter


  • Lykke Li's Sadness Is A Blessing


  • Glastonbury 2019 preview playlist + ten alternative must sees


  • A Different Kind Of Weird: dEUS on The Ideal Crash



Left-arrow

Low

Double Negative

Mobback
105820
105825

Jungle

For Ever

Mobforward
Right-arrow


LATEST

    news


    Drowned in Sound is back!

  • 106143
  • news


    Drowned in Sound's 21 Favourite Albums of the Y...

  • 106141

    news


    Drowned in Sound to return as a weekly newsletter

  • 106139
  • Playlist


    Lykke Li's Sadness Is A Blessing

  • 106138

    Festival Preview


    Glastonbury 2019 preview playlist + ten alterna...

  • 106137
  • Interview


    A Different Kind Of Weird: dEUS on The Ideal Crash

  • 106136

    Festival Review


    Way Out East: DiS Does Sharpe Festival 2019

  • 106135
  • Festival Review


    25 years of SPOT Festival: DiS Picks Its Best 11

  • 106134
MORE


    Interview


    Interview: Bjork talks piracy, punk, Lady Gaga ...

  • 79700
  • review


    Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence

  • 95999

    Interview


    With Nile and I: DiS meets Nile Rodgers

  • 98023
  • review


    Biffy Clyro - Only Revolutions

  • 55003

    news


    The DiS Community's... 101 Favourite Albums

  • 85886
  • feature


    Panic Prevention: At the drink with Jamie T

  • 14183

    Staff-generated


    Reviewed: Shut Up And Play the Hits a documenta...

  • 83336
  • feature


    New Emo Goth Danger? My Chemical Romance confro...

  • 89578
MORE

Drowned in Sound
  • DROWNED IN SOUND
  • HOME
  • SITE MAP
  • NEWS
  • IN DEPTH
  • IN PHOTOS
  • RECORDS
  • RECOMMENDED RECORDS
  • ALBUMS OF THE YEAR
  • FESTIVAL COVERAGE
  • COMMUNITY
  • MUSIC FORUM
  • SOCIAL BOARD
  • REPORT ERRORS
  • CONTACT US
  • JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
  • FOLLOW DiS
  • GOOGLE+
  • FACEBOOK
  • TWITTER
  • SHUFFLER
  • TUMBLR
  • YOUTUBE
  • RSS FEED
  • RSS EMAIL SUBSCRIBE
  • MISC
  • TERM OF USE
  • PRIVACY
  • ADVERTISING
  • OUR WIKIPEDIA
© 2000-2023 DROWNED IN SOUND