Stuck On Repeat: Helium by HOMESHAKE
Winters in California can be gruesome with its mornings full of glorious sideways rain slapping your face, followed by chilly, yet sunny, afternoons that leave you wondering if you should’ve grabbed that coat to go along with your shorts before leaving the house. Nonetheless, Homeshake’s new album Helium can help you forget about alla ‘dat.
Homeshake is known for its synthey, light, pop beats that is definitely hard not to close your eyes and nod your head to. The album in its entirety is only 30-ish minutes long, leaving you wanting more. Every song blends well into the next and creates a sense of calmness. It will make you want to lay on your bed after a hellish day of work or school and stare at the ceiling without a care in the world. You could loop the album and listen for
e t e r n i t y.
I appreciate when artists stick to their sound and don’t change too much. This is evident when listening to songs like “Just Like My” and “Nothing Could Be Better” that have elements that were repeated from previous albums like Midnight Snack’s “Every Single Thing” and “Move This Body.” As a listener, it’s fun recognizing those elements from older songs to new songs from the artist, making the connection of “Oh hey, this is Homeshake, yeah?” And then you check Spotify and realize, yes, it was them, and your ‘lil music nerd heart skips a beat because you were right… or is that just me?
Some other fun aspects about this album is the hypnotizing, pitch-shifted dialogue on tracks “Just Like My” and “Salu Says Hi.” The sweet random “hello?” and “hi!”s make you feel like you’re lying on the softest blanket while listening to the rain hit the concrete floor outside your window. It’s a soothing break in between songs and brings you back down to Earth as soon as it ends, just in time to finish the album.
Whether you listen to this album on a long drive, in your room, or on a walk, you can expect that Helium will make you feel like you’re floating away into the sky.