Aleph

Description

'Aleph' is often defined as "the oneness of God," and the British indie pop group from Cardiff, Private World, takes up this concept on their debut album for the Dais label, while avoiding pop conventions, exploring and subverting its context. Rather than individual tracks forming an overarching narrative, on 'Aleph', members Harry Jowett and Tom Sanders navigate a universe they describe as psyche pop, where songs become scenes of a collective exploration of sensibility and melody. In a way, the songs that make up 'Aleph' are soothing forces that traverse pop history, stopping at certain moments of the 80s to borrow from jazz-tinged synths, ambient music, and even cinéma-vérité. They omit, however, the banality of the verse-chorus song and make room for a certain freedom and atmosphere to form melancholic transitions. 'Aleph' retains Private World's DNA but tames pop with an Eno-esque intention. Rather than simple statements, each song on the album is a nod to Roxy Music, Peter Gabriel, Talk Talk, and Spandau Ballet all at once. It is in some ways a work unfolding in ten movements, each reflecting a sphere of culture. "Blue Spirit" alone is the album's message, as the voice, indebted to Bryan Ferry, leads the dance on a frenetic rhythm, while the instruments punctuate the beat in turn before disappearing into the following echoes. Admittedly, the album's sounds hark back to the masters of synth-pop, but the journey continues with a strong personality and a contemporary character. Private World offers a singular vision of psyche pop, and a surprisingly refreshing debut.