I've been on a Metric binge lately, especially their albums “Fantasies”, “Synthetica” and “Formentera”, which have been stuck in my head nonstop. Out of these three, I wanted to dive into “Formentera” a bit more since it's their latest release. But I could have picked any album, really, as their discography is pretty consistent in its awesomeness.
Metric is a Canadian indie rock band that was founded in 1998 by Emily Haines and James Shaw. The band consists of Emily Haines (lead vocals, synthesizers, guitar, tambourine, harmonica, piano), James Shaw (guitar, synthesizers, theremin, backing vocals), Joshua Winstead (bass, synthesizers, backing vocals), and Joules Scott-Key (drums, percussion).
The band's music has been influenced by a variety of genres, including new wave, post-punk revival, synthpop, and dance-rock, and they have been known to experiment with different styles and sounds. One of the defining characteristics of Metric's sound is their use of synthesizers, which has become a signature element of their music. Their early works were characterized by a laid-back and downtempo style, with Emily's vocals often taking center stage. However, as they continued to release music, Metric began exploring new wave and harder rock sounds, resulting in a more energetic and upbeat vibe. In recent years, they have incorporated electronic and grandiose elements into their music, as well as drawing on gothic rock influences.
Joshua Winstead, Emily Haines, James Shaw, Joules Scott-Key
Released on July 8, 2022, Metric's eighth album was crafted during the intense and uncertain times of the pandemic. The band found escape in the Balearic island of Formentera, neighbor of Ibiza, a place they’d never been to. But it became a distant paradise in the minds of the band while they worked in the studio. It evoked a blissful sense of release, despite being 4,000 miles away from its beautiful blue seas and white sands in Toronto.
The first track of the album “Doomscroller” is a 10 minutes long krautrock-lite that will grab your attention right away. Emily Haines sets the tone with her haunting voice as she sings about the state of the world over a shadowy bed of electronics. As the song progresses, it transforms into a dark and pulsing laser rave-pop sound. From there the album takes us on a journey of release and resilience, as Metric navigates through tense and anxious moments towards brighter days.
Ballads infused with synths like “Formentera” and "Enemies of the Ocean" wander through nostalgic memories of past glories with a raised eyebrow, as Emily alludes to the band’s “golden cage” in the soft and highly personal “I Will Never Settle” and the new wave vibe of “False Dichotomy” address the paradoxes of being a rock star, where it supposedly rejects conformity but often falls into its own materialistic traps. Throughout the album, Metric provides a genuine assessment of their success story, expressing their new raison d'être with sincerity and yearning.
And I leave you with “What Feels Like Eternity”
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