Like a rocket shooting into space, New York electro-rock crew
Joywave go intergalactic on their shimmering third full-length,
Possession. Lighter and more vibrant than their 2017 effort
Content, this round of existential musings finds frontman
Daniel Armbruster weighing ideas of possession and control in a contemporary existence under constant cultural bombardment by outside forces and influences. On the slick "Who Owns Who," he poses the titular question before concluding "If you're asking me, it must not be you," later declaring "It's possessions, not possession, that'll finally set me free" on the tense "No Shoulder." Toying with those issues,
Armbruster demonstrates his typical wit and wisdom, maturing and growing more comfortable in his own skin in the process. Production-wise,
Possession doesn't stray too far from the reliable
Joywave formula: hypnotic, often dance-friendly beats bubble up beneath inventive sampling choices and melodic synths, balancing the occasional upbeat jam with dark, ominous soundscapes. Those samples -- selected from the Voyager Golden Record, which was curated in 1977 by Dr. Carl Sagan for the Voyager missions -- are just part of the allure of
Possession, which is a journey unlike anything they've done in the past. Atmospheric opener "Like a Kennedy" slowly expands to a
Queen-esque finale, complete with guitar solo and fireworks, a sweeping epic that is a wonder to behold. The ebullient rush of "Half Your Age" faces the inevitable crisis of aging before realizing it's alright for dreams to change as we get older. The robust burst "Blastoffff" delivers the album's crunchiest rock moment, a wry vignette about returning to a place you've grown beyond. Finding the secret to it all,
Joywave concludes that the goal in this life -- beyond the fear, media burnout, and global dread -- might be simply "to be fat and old and happy." As lyrical substance blends seamlessly with ambitious production,
Armbruster and his fellow astronauts --
Joseph Morinelli,
Paul Brenner, and
Benjamin Bailey -- complete their third successful voyage out of this mundane and complicated world with the excellent
Possession. ~ Neil Z. Yeung