With 2018's
Indigo
, the fourth album from
Jack Tatum
's increasingly glossy dream pop project
Wild Nothing
, the blurry origins of the project had been polished into a neatly produced set of '80s-intoned pop. The recording process was long and involved, utilizing multiple studios and various producers to arrive at a rich and colorful presentation of some of
Tatum
's most straightforward tunes.
Laughing Gas
follows the trend of
releasing an EP of outtakes following a proper album, just as
Golden Haze
followed the band's debut,
Gemini
, in 2010 and
Empty Estate
trailed 2012's
Nocturne
by about a year. Much like
, the leftover tunes that make up the
EP are high-definition slices of easygoing synth pop with layers of chillwave synths, wobbly bass lines, and production borrowed from the
Tears for Fears
playbook. The set begins with "Sleight of Hand," a song that rides sophisti-pop chord changes and an accentuated bass line. The general energy of the song strikes like a livelier, happier, more synth-reliant version of the
Blue Nile
meeting minds with
Tame Impala
. This approach continues for the majority of the EP, with slick guitars and stabbing synth leads competing on "Dizziness" and a dour, chorus-heavy bass line guiding the pensive "Blue Wings." The
influence stands out most on closing track "The World Is a Hungry Place," a song where layered harmonies, floating saxophone accompaniment, and huge tom fills evoke the same wide-eyed wonder a lost
Songs from the Big Chair
B-side might. None of these tracks rank among
's strongest work, but they serve as an excellent extension of the relaxed, beatific mood
cultivated. ~ Fred Thomas