It's time to call off the search party; summer 2017 has officially found its album. Grammy award-winning artist RAC, real name André Allen Anjos, brings the heat with his latest release, EGO. The album is a veritable block party, featuring Weezer's Rivers Cuomo, Vampire Weekend's Rostam, Joywave, Chaos Chaos, MNDR, St. Lucia, Scavenger Hunt, Pink Feathers, Jordan Corey, K Flay, Alice MK and Karl Kling.
Having built his reputation remixing the likes of Lana Del Rey, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Ellie Goulding and label mates ODESZA, Anjos proves once more just how versatile he can be on EGO. Released on Counter Records, his second full-length follows 2014's Strangers and finds RAC returning to songwriting. It's his most ambitious and personal venture to date: "The word 'ego' can have a negative connotation, but I think of it as an exploration of self," he explains in a press release. "The album is really me figuring out what I personally wanted; I felt free to do whatever."
EGO is filled with fresh, upbeat and energetic songs ("I Still Wanna Know," "Nobody" and "This Beautiful Game" among them) all carefully crafted to deliver a cohesive sound and style. It's a dreamy, pop-infused, 14-track soundscape that can't help but inspire action: road trips to unknown places, beach days that linger long after dark, concerts under the stars and new friendships forged by the fire. Reminiscent of the strong storytelling and synth-pop of M83's Saturdays = Youth, EGO shines with a healthy dose of youthful nostalgia and optimism; on the album's penultimate track, Alice MK encourages listeners to "find a way through the darkness, through the haze."
Since moving to America and starting RAC from his dorm room at Grenville College, Anjos has come a long way. But his ability to keep his finger on the pulse of new and innovative music has remained the same.
(Counter)Having built his reputation remixing the likes of Lana Del Rey, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Ellie Goulding and label mates ODESZA, Anjos proves once more just how versatile he can be on EGO. Released on Counter Records, his second full-length follows 2014's Strangers and finds RAC returning to songwriting. It's his most ambitious and personal venture to date: "The word 'ego' can have a negative connotation, but I think of it as an exploration of self," he explains in a press release. "The album is really me figuring out what I personally wanted; I felt free to do whatever."
EGO is filled with fresh, upbeat and energetic songs ("I Still Wanna Know," "Nobody" and "This Beautiful Game" among them) all carefully crafted to deliver a cohesive sound and style. It's a dreamy, pop-infused, 14-track soundscape that can't help but inspire action: road trips to unknown places, beach days that linger long after dark, concerts under the stars and new friendships forged by the fire. Reminiscent of the strong storytelling and synth-pop of M83's Saturdays = Youth, EGO shines with a healthy dose of youthful nostalgia and optimism; on the album's penultimate track, Alice MK encourages listeners to "find a way through the darkness, through the haze."
Since moving to America and starting RAC from his dorm room at Grenville College, Anjos has come a long way. But his ability to keep his finger on the pulse of new and innovative music has remained the same.
