Faded Paper Figures — Kairos (7/17/20)
I was introduced to this LA indie pop group by a friend sometime in ’08 or ’09, following the release of their debut album Dynamo. My 17-year-old self was not used to this type of music seeing as I surrounded myself with generally rock-leaning bands.
So, the album was a bit of an anomaly for me and it ended up filling a special spot in my music library. It was at a time before I could just “follow” an artist and be reminded of any future releases so I ended up totally forgetting to pursue the band further as the years went on.
It’s a shame because I loved everything about the album. Its timid nature and cute melodies were super endearing and they really pulled through with some exciting new musical moments for me with songs like “Logos,” “I Fell Off My Name,” and “Speeches.”
It would have been sometime around 2015/16 that I finally looked back into the band and saw that I had missed three new albums from 2010 to 2014. I listened through them all in a bundle and found some nice stuff but I didn’t form any real relationship with the music. It did encourage me that they were very much a band I wouldn't let pass me by again though.
So, I’m fully back on board now with their fifth album.
Kairos has shed away any timidness that was felt on their debut. They’ve also filled up their sound over the years. The synths have a more all-encompassing effect and are the backbone to these songs. You won’t hear nearly as much raw instrumentation on this as it’s mostly synths and drum pad beats.
The vocals are a major player in the construct of their songs. Co-vocalists R. John Williams and Heather Alden sing together throughout much of this to create these very airy vocal parts that add a hazy dreaminess to the music. In fact, that dreaminess is there whether they’re singing together or not. They both have very light deliveries that play major roles in defining their brand of dreamy electropop.
There’s several on here I really enjoy; a few that fall a little short; and one that, as of writing this, is in consideration for my top ten songs of the year.
As for the songs that fall a little short, there's actually barely anything I can say bad about them. Single “She’s Walking Out” has some strings to it and a more intricate percussion pattern than pretty much anything else on the album. It just doesn’t go anywhere. If you’re not vibing with the first 30 seconds all that much then chances are you’re not going to be vibing with the rest of it because it really doesn’t have many dynamics to it.
“Fall From Grace” has a satisfying synth groove and a vibrating hook. We get a nice performance from Alden and it’s one of the easiest melodies to get stuck in the head. And I’d say that’s what’s working against it. It’s too much of a sticky hook that I find myself tiring of it the moment the song begins.
Alden also leads on “Eleusinian.” It looks like it has something to do with the Eleusinian Mysteries in Greek Mythology which I know nothing about. Again, not much negative to say about this track other than that it’s about as slow as the album gets and there’s just no range of emotion in it; Alden’s performance is pretty much neutral.
Everything else on the album has me pretty stoked. I love the deep, wobbly synths of opening track “Bones,” and the partnering “Soldier” feels like one of the more lyrically important. It definitely ties into anti-war sentiments that I find interesting to see the band bring into their music.
“Unambiguous Love Song” is a mid-album standout as it sets this super sweet groove in the chorus with the guitar work. It’s surrounded on either side by “Valhalla” and “Cogitate,” two of the most relaxing songs on the album.
“Valhalla” is another song that references mythology, being seen as a sort of Heaven for slain warriors in Norse mythology. Harp-like strings flutter through the refrain to dazzling effect, creating a freeing sensation of peace.
“Cogitate,” meaning to think deeply, sounds built for that very purpose. Like so many brilliant songs, it holds a feeling of sadness, and it’s reflected in the words about creating new memories as the old ones fade away.
“Damned If” actually sounds like it has someone playing real drums to it. It’s the most removed from the electropop genre and they even cap it off with a group sing-a-long that paints the picture of swaying back and forth with one arm over a friend's shoulder and a beer in the other. I’m not overly excited by the song but it’s the first time I’ve heard FPF break into something like that, and the group singing proves to be pretty infectious.
“Dream of Waking Up” is one that has me waiting for the hook. The easy-paced verses have enough texture to please the ears but it’s the expansive and shimmering hook that really captivates the senses.
Closing track “Count It Out” has a great moodiness to it and holds some pretty deep lyrics to conclude the album. It’s definitely a reminder to take everything you can out of the one life you have. They use a little rise and drop formula through the chorus that works really well.
If you’ve been keeping track, you already know what song I’ve left unmentioned, and that’s the one in the running for my top ten songs of the year.
“All That We Feel” has pretty much taken over as my new favourite Faded Paper Figures song. It does everything right. Williams’ vocals float along the verse as it slowly builds into one of the most mesmerizing hooks of the year. It’s the type of song that has me doing the 1–2–3–4 count into the hook and those are always my favourite.
It’s a tragic song that seems to be about overcoming the loss of a loved one. Williams sings, “How long will I miss you?,” and before he even finishes the question Alden responds, “How long until you remember I’m always there?”
This back and forth effect is spectacular and I am just consistently drawn into the mood that it creates.
It’s nothing I would have expected from the band ten years ago and I can say that for most of this album. They were always that one-off band for me and so to have them back here in 2020 with one of my favourite songs of the year is quite special.
