The Drifters
is the full-length debut of
Zooey
, the chillout indie pop project of musicians
Matthieu Beck
and
Marie Merlet
. The French couple recorded the album in their London home studio but capture the essence of a balcony with a tranquil seaside view. Setting the stage with its title, then cover art depicting a lone tepee along a shoreline under scattered clouds, the album's tracks play at least as well together as a single 33-minute excursion than as 11 separate songs. They are songs, though, and not meandering atmosphere; as soothing and transportive as the record is, structured beats, directional chord progressions, and production touches that keep the ear engaged distinguish it from the blander masses of tropical house. With a muted attack, melodic electronic percussion opens the first track, "Realise Realise."
Beck
Merlet
trade vocals on the subdued dance track, whose brisk tempo is offset by mellow synth timbres that evoke lounge. Standout "Time to Get Alone" offers floaty synth pop with a worthy groove and extended chords that take some unexpected turns (the duo count
Burt Bacharach
Brian Wilson
among their influences). Perhaps surprisingly, there's also a cover midway through the set. "The Country Song" is a revision of
Bill Callahan
's "Let's Move to the Country."
pay homage to the original's spare strings and guitar with guitar, flute, and keyboard, delivering the vocal melody in wistful unison ("Let's move to the country/Just you and me"). Less engaging but very much in keeping with the mood are two instrumentals, "Joia" and "Joya," the second of which signals a winding down before a brief quasi-instrumental and the reflective "Marcher la Nuit" close out the album with a preoccupied saunter. For that matter, the whole LP is not so much a dance album as a swaying one, suited for gentle breezes, martinis, and bubble machines. ~ Marcy Donelson