On its debut for MCA,
Venus Hum exudes a dark, lush dream pop sound on
Big Beautiful Sky. Rich synth beats and layered percussion soak up this shimmery collection that's tailored for the indie and dance crowds alike, so prepare for a hypnotic headtrip. Vocalist
Annette Strean offers warm, honeyed vocals, while her bandmates,
Kip Kubin and
Tony Miracle, are fashionably slick with their digital instrumentation. "Hummingbirds" is an electric new wave storm of luminous lyrical depictions, while "Montana" and "Lumberjacks" shimmy with sparkling keyboard hooks for divine club/dance standouts. Threads of
Depeche Mode,
Yaz, and
Björk swirl throughout, allowing
Big Beautiful Sky to compose its own bright musical sound, a passionate effort without losing itself in what's already been done in the past. The funky edge of "Sonic Boom" is a testament to
Venus Hum's kitschy electronic twist.
Big Beautiful Sky doesn't do anything dramatically different from what's popular on the dance front, but
Venus Hum keeps things honest. ~ MacKenzie Wilson