On
Vi/deo
,
Xeno & Oaklander
sustained themselves through dark times with happy memories, but on
Via Negativa (In the Doorway Light)
, they create a world precariously balanced between romantic fantasies and nightmarish hallucinations. Described by
Sean McBride
and
Liz Wendelbo
as studies of "what not to do," the album tells an ill-fated love story revolving around a mercury mine -- not the usual fodder for a record, but the duo does its best to reassert that
is far from ordinary.
Via Negativa
's concept is most fully expressed by its mercurial sonics, with slippery melodies and chord progressions, synth tones that glitter like "opulent poison," and unrelenting mechanical beats, all of which make themselves known on "The Unknown Side" and "Mercury Mind," which embodies the thrill and dread of getting in over one's head (perhaps literally). Starting with the sleekly frantic title track,
Wendelbo
McBride
create an elegant yet unsettled mood that plays into their music's cinematic qualities. Underneath this tension, however, lies some of the pair's most sophisticated pop. "Actor's Foil" is a highlight, with
's crisp delivery of lines such as "You walk with emotion/In my warped imagination" ratcheting up the drama. She and
share many of the album's other standout moments, and their vocal interplay enlivens the surreal allure of "Lost and There" and "Magic of the Manifold," where her sharper tones contrast his softer ones and thwart expectations once again. When the album ends with the hazy dissolution of "Strange Fellows," it feels like awakening from a lingering dream. Strange and frequently captivating, at its best
is a tribute to
's skill at crafting images and moods other artists could never envision. ~ Heather Phares