Cassette Review: Déjà Blue "Awake But See-Through" (Lobby Art)

$5 //
Edition of 50 //
https://lobbyartrecs.bandcamp.com/album/awake-but-see-through //

For quite some time now I've been big on the idea that there shouldn't be any artists out there who sound exactly like other artists.   There has been enough music over the course of time and space that you should be able to pull enough various influences to craft a sound all of your own.   Why sound like The Beatles when you could sound like The Beatles fronted by Prince?   Déjà Blue is a stellar example of this theory and, no, I don't mean The Beatles fronted by Prince thing (Although... Maybe...)

Powerful alien electronics begin this cassette.  The sounds come out dreamy but also they turn into this rollerdisco feel.  It's kind of like the Talking Heads and then it shifts into a funk/soul vibe which brings out something from the Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack.   The words can come through with singing or speaking and I feel like everyone talks in different ways so it's not exactly like anyone else in the speaking parts.   There are also hints of The Cardigans and Beck and that's just all within the first song.

Jack Johnson really comes through on the second song, with those powerful melodies, and then the third track drives through video game sounding organs like Yves Malone and Make Up and Vanity Set.   Vocals come through like Frampton and yet there is also this feel of Mr. Roboto mixed with Seal.   By the end you'll hear this instrumentally electronic rock sound which is somewhat like Neon Trees and I can't help but wonder if that shoutout of "Living like the weekend" is in reference to fellow musician The Weeknd, which makes sense musically in ways as well.

Depending upon your age, location and perhaps other factors, you'll pull your own influences from this.   Maybe you're not as into comic books as me and so you'll find some movie from the 1970's to link this with instead of GotG.   Maybe you'll even think of a more recent movie like "Roll Bounce".   Maybe you know songs on the radio that I don't.   But either way, this has that feeling of being smooth, it's rock and it just combines three key genres (electronics, disco and overall rock at its core) to form something completely new and completely different but also completely wonderful.