Pairing woozy synths and thick, sultry rhythms, Canadian singer/songwriter
Calvin Love channels the sort of pastel nightclub romantica that
Bryan Ferry perfected decades earlier. A dash of
Phoenix's pop sizzle and plenty of the noirish indie-psych vibes of 2010s Edmonton (where
Love and pals like
Mac DeMarco,
Alex Calder, and
Sean Nicholas Savage hail from) also make up the general tone of
Super Future,
Love's sophomore album and first for esteemed Toronto indie Arts + Crafts. Stylistically, it's an expansion of the same cool style he delivered on his meandering 2012 debut
New Radar, but with an improved studio budget to help trim some of his ragged lo-fi edges. Highlights like "Automaton" and "You and I," with their punchy basslines and lost-in-the-night dreaminess, show a slick craftsmanship with a strong sense of melody and a penchant for building atmosphere and tension. ~ Timothy Monger