So apparently this little duo works in the “dream pop” sort of field that Beach House has made popular. Unlike Beach House though, they veer more towards gauzy ambiance and noise. Their attempts at pure pop generally don’t work out as well (see “Monsters).
Any sort of love one has for bands like Slowdive might allow you to better digest this. Of course, this being the year of nostalgia, there’s little tributes to the 80s. “Pour Your Dark Heart Out” besides having those sustained notes also has a little bit of The Normal’s: Warm Leatherette in the background, sort of anchoring the hazy music with its awkward beat.
The album isn’t very long, so it doesn’t overstay its welcome. But I’d say the more the songs spread out, the better they are. Both the opener “Battlegrounds” and the sweet “You lost your Neon Haze” capitalize off of their confidence with the longer lengths.
Altar Eagle wisely released this around Fall, since it has a slight decaying feel from both the music and the obscured vocals.