Club Solitaire’s dream pop sensibilities return in full swing with his latest double side single that sees him delve into nostalgia for the sweet 80s and for different stages in his own life.
Based in Moorestown, New Jersey, Club Solitaire has gotten around writing the songs in this release right about the same time he realized that, in his own words, he only has one summer of youth left, with one year of college left before he sets off into adulthood. ‘September’, the first of the two songs, and the more prominent one, is written exclusively about this idea, while ‘Virtual Girl’ was conceived while he was in a cubicle in his summer finance internship. The resulting songs do bridge a gap between early work by Tame Impala, and by Beach House. From the slightly psychedelic, modulated guitars that are a mainstay to Tame Impala’s music, to the syrupy melodies and simplistic arrangements that harken back to Beach House’s Teen Dream. In this bridging, Club Solitaire manages to weave intoxicating atmospheres that drip with color. If anything, Club Solitaire succeeds in creating a sense of nostalgia with his textures and general chillness.
‘September’ features a more populated mix with a chorused rhythm guitar ringing uniformly throughout, and with a couple of bittersweet chord progressions, ‘September’ contains melodies that sound livelier and more purposeful, successfully conjuring his emotions that he only has one summer of youth left. Such a profoundly bittersweet thought could not have been easy to put down and translate so eloquently into music, but Club Solitaire has managed it, and in the process created one peaceful, sad, and sweet piece of dream pop. With the slow-burning ‘Virtual Girl’ we have a slower and more restrained version of Club Solitaire. Opting to use slowly moving melodies, and potent musical sadness, what ‘Virtual Girl’ lacks in sense of motion and direction is more that made up for by its emotional heft.
With delightfully coherent mixes done by Club Solitaire under guidance from Emmy winner Cesar Mejia, the budding artist has given us 2 songs that carry a load of meaning and purpose, with an impactful sound that will effortlessly find its way to the hearts of lovers of indie and dream pop everywhere around the world.