Porcelain Raft

On debut Strange Weekend, Porcelain Raft's Mauro Remiddi gave plenty of reasons to be excited about his future. "Drifting In and Out" and single "Unless You Speak From Your Heart" showcased an artist whose competent songwriting was bolstered by a knack for satisfyingly woozy production. The plaintive, simmering "Think of the Ocean" hinted at plenty of growth this time around, but, alas, a single can't carry an album. Songs like "Cluster" and "The Way Out" are pleasant enough, but nothing on Permanent Signal hits quite like the peaks of Strange Weekend did, while the lows — the tinny, underwhelming "Minor Pleasure" and the faux-experimental drone of "Warehouse" — are utterly skippable. It's not time to write Porcelain Raft off, but Remiddi needs to bring more ideas to LP number three.