Young Ejecta forms a simple contrast on their latest album “Ride Lonesome”. The soothing sound of singer Leanne Macomber is fine-tuned to be intertwined along an electronic beat, honed from her time with the electronic music band Neon Indian. Meanwhile, producer Joel Ford highlights his musical partner’s ethereal voice with a synthpop backing that subtly pumps the heartbeat of each song. Together they make an excellent pair, with Ford creating the symphonic stage for their audience that Macomber leads along.
The atmospheric music genre is a series of trials in recreating the calming rhythms that lulled humanity to sleep for thousands of years before the advent of our interconnected electronic world. Typically, these cooling melodies come from nature, ranging from a light pitter-patter of rain to the rolling sounds of thunderstorms. The call of the wild from whale songs to the chirping of grasshoppers can be played all night long, so long as their call is consistent and reliable. Like many elements of our lives, the electronic world is getting better at imitating its natural counterpart.
The human voice eventually entered the atmospheric fray, typically with meditation tracks around the idea of, accepting and letting go. The key is to keep it calm and simple, to relax without overstimulating. Young Ejecta webs this balance well, maintaining a reliable atmospheric signature without deviating too much from the synth-pop mold. Clearly, they are a talented duo and there are no lapses in the production quality. What makes the album calm is the same element that keeps it from being exciting, its consistency.
Occasionally the pace will pick up on songs such as, “Call My Name,” but most of their latest album is meant to be enjoyed while lying back to dispel the stress of the day. “Ride Lonesome” is an album to unwind to, as is evident from the majority of lyrics revolving around the messy aftermath of love gone wrong and finding solace by exercising those feelings.
Fans of synth alt-pop and electronic atmosphere will be fans of Young Ejecta. They hit the right nerves like a metronome bouncing in cadence from one song to the next. It will be hard to call out specific lines or beats, as the effect of the album clears the mind rather than leaves a strong footprint. Not every song has to be a rambunctious single though, and without concerts or dance halls active in these pandemic times, “Ride Lonesome” arrives as a relaxing balm amidst chaotic times.
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