San Serac

This is a peculiar album of '80s synths and drum machines put together in an almost embarrassingly accurate portrayal of the dodgier musical releases of that era. At times, this album even sounds like it could have been background music for Miami Vice. However, Nat Rabb's one-man show has a bit more depth than the retro sounds may suggest. With a deadpan vocal style and obtuse subject matter, he moves more towards musical territory occupied by artists like Momus or Toog. It begs the question whether this album is a piss-take at the genre or a genuine attempt at some sort of peculiar retro-music art project. Rabb does mix things up a bit on tracks like "62 And Clear" and "Waiting Time For Beverage," which are more contemporary sounding, thanks to breezy, soft guitars and a smoother delivery. Predictably, though, the style does become tiresome in the end, unless you have a particular fetish for old synth patches.