For
James Mathé, the British singer/songwriter better known as
Barbarossa, the North Sea seems to have asserted significant influence in both his personal and creative lives. Since moving from London to the coastal Kent town of Margate in the latter half of the 2010s, his gently brooding pastiche of soulful electronic pop and folk has become increasingly saturated in the essence of his maritime surroundings. From the introspective sea change of 2018's
Lier to the beachcombed reinterpretations of 2019's The Tidal Pool Tapes,
Mathé's embrace of seaside life is now a steady feature of his
Barbarossa catalog. Reuniting with fellow pseudonymic producer
Ghost Culture (
James Greenwood), he returns with the sweetly ruminative Love Here Listen, a glowing synth-driven album whose genesis is rooted in the singer's daily open-water swimming routine. Using an intentionally limited palette of classic synthesizers (Roland Juno 108, Korg Mono/Poly, and a few others), the duo construct a minimalist and occasionally sprightly soft-pop backdrop over which
Mathé espouses the affirmations of inner growth and acceptance he's wrested from his therapeutic dips into the restless sea. Although more overtly electronic than any of his previous releases, Love Here Listen nonetheless has at its core a singer/songwriter's mentality, and the self-searching nature of songs like "Make It Through" and "Recliner" give it heart and a sense of warmth. Even with its darker shades, there's a consistently relaxed atmosphere to the entire set, with waves that tend to lap rather than roil. As a result, there are few obvious standouts, though it does play nicely as a complete piece. With its emphasis on motivation and inner reflection, Love Here Listen has the feel of an artist settling into himself and finding some vestiges of long-sought peace. ~ Timothy Monger