Sleeptalk’s second EP Young, meant to be the second in a trilogy, attempts to combine the musical qualities of synth-pop and pop punk. The band pair the grittier vocals of pop punk with clean, dreamy instrumentation, and unfortunately the combo falls flat.
The EP sets the mood with the intro track “Phenomenon” which actually does a great job of introducing the haunting atmosphere of the album with the use of gentle synths and harmonized vocals. What follows, though, are three tracks that really try to fuse two very different genres, but don’t quite hit the mark. The raw and imperfect vocals that add the extra edge and angst to pop punk really only distract from the smooth and simple melodies of these more pop laced songs, and it becomes clear that these two sounds just don’t work well together.
On, the other hand the final track, “Drift Away,” really stands out with its catchy and groovy vibe. The vocals are not overly raw here and work really well on this particular track. This is definitely the kind of song worth playing a little louder.
While the EP certainly has its flaws it does seem like there is a lot of potential for some really fun and entrancing music to be made by Sleeptalk. Their sound does offer a new and interesting genre blend, but for now it lacks a bit in execution.
Overall Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Recommended Tracks: “Phenomenon” and “Drift Away”
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