What does Tycho sound like?

Electronic producer who shape-shifts from album to album, with this version an optimistic and uplifting one.

The review of ‘Infinite Health’ by Tycho

Tycho’s sixth album ‘Infinite Health’ sees the two-time Grammy-nominated artist return to a more electronic-based production. Rhythm, flow and breaks are the foundations of this album that Tycho wanted to offer up as an optimistic hopeful look into the future, whilst saying goodbye to the past. Sonically, it has one foot in the past that feels like it is leaving the ground whilst many other elements are future-facing and the driving force for the album.

‘Phantom’ is a great example of that nod to the past whilst flying ahead approach to production and sound design. There are big late 80s/early 90s disco beats and chunky synths that stride out loud and proud. They demand attention whilst the more traditionally psychedelic elements of Tycho’s sound float around in the background. It feels purposeful and confident as it moves you around the dance floor with an effortless bass groove and plenty of flair. That flair was preceded by the album opener ‘Consciousness Felt’, which blurs the line between electronic and rock ideas with dirty drum loops, electric guitar riffs and some beautifully blazing synth warbles. The song is akin to melting in the desert sun as the song moves from a rigid structure to psychedelic electro-rock flow state. It is a fantastic opener I could have on repeat for an hour.

The mixture of post-rock elements, rustic in-room guitar recordings and intricate beats makes ‘Restraint’ stand out. Tycho takes the best elements of a lo-fi beats track and gives it the post-rock Bibio treatment while keeping an aural glow with a mellotron-sounding synth. The album is a space for healing and the glissando effects and shoegaze-reverb usage on the synths used across the album evoke that healing space. This is where ‘Devices’ turns pulsating synths motifs into a gentle spirit glide. As the huge drums pound their way into your soul, synths give way to post-rock guitar wails that echo out across the universe before the synths rejoin for its euphoric duet finale. It holds the same emotional space as artists that merge traditional instrumentation with electronica.

‘Infinite Health’ brings in Cautious Clay to guest in a throwback to the best of 80s soul pop. The retro bassline is thick and powerful, the synth solos envelop you like a vocoder and the soulful vocal snippets bring a smoothness to proceedings. It sounds like 1988 channelling 2088 and therefore is everywhere and nowhere we’ve been before. Tycho’s guitar then takes the lead with ‘Green’. This moody noodling piece sounds part improvised as different mini-motifs roll into each other over a downplayed skipping beat. This rockier edge stays for the Tom Vek sounding ‘DX Odyssey’ – if Tom Vek had a spiritual album that is! The bass guitar groove and scrappy drum loops drive a track full of cascading arpeggiators that become more psychedelic over the songs length. Add in some bird song and clever effects and we’ve got a psych-pop classic. The guitar/bass heavy back half of the album closes out with ‘Totem’. ‘Totem’ is a rousing banger of a track, bringing in the best guitar use of the album and making it sing with the aural synths and big beats.

With an exhale and moody dream of tape-warped synths playing out the album on ‘Epilogue’, there are a few things I appreciated with this release. Firstly, Tycho aka Scott Hansen, nails the bottom end of the production. Every beat cuts through the mix and the bass is phenomenal. Since no two songs have the same musical set up, it can be tricky to get a mix that feels consistent. Tycho has the perfect mix and it brings out the uplifting groove of every song. Secondly, the album does feel uplifting but not in a traditional way. Usually, an uplifting album removes the low end of a record and focuses on airy tones and hues. I truly appreciate that Tycho went all in on groove and rhythm and let the overarching tonal shifts and sumptuous synths lift the listener up. This is the perfect pick-me-up for fans of electronic music with guitar bone marrow in its frame.

Recommended track: Totem

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