The third album from MySpace phenom Owl City, a.k.a., Adam Young, is pristine pop electronica: synths and strings meld seamlessly into dreamy, summery atmospherics (with guest vocals from Matt Theissen of Christian emo mainstays Relient K). But while Young’s compositions occasionally flirt with the nuanced melodicism of Jimmy Tamborello or Jona Bechtolt, he rarely lets even the slightest risky idea emerge. The result is a skillfully crafted record that feels blissfully monochromatic. As Young puts it, “If the bombs go off, the sun will still be shining.”
LISTEN: Owl City, “Strawberry Avalanche”
