Time-stamping the name of your group might seem counterproductive in a musical climate that clamors for all things new and exciting. Shine 2009's name is destined to date unpredictably primarily because it refers to a recent and quite unremarkable year (a quick digest includes swine flu, the birth of chillwave, and the death of Michael Jackson). But even a cursory listen to Shine 2009's Realism shows how deeply the band is committed to the allure of dated sounds.
The Balearic-leaning drum breaks and keys of opener "Graduation" nod toward the early 1990s, and indeed that decade's pop music legacy looms large over most of the record. Wistful shades of Air France also emerge on that track, which has a pleasant collage feel with beachy ambient sounds lending a bit of texture and character. Singer Sami Suova's straight-laced vocals sound like a cross between a more lackadaisical Bernard Sumner and the slightly angelic tinge of 1990s European boybands-- "Pray" by Take That comes to mind here.
The kitsch dynamic is even more heavily pronounced on "So Free", as a frozen-in-time Paula Abdul contributes backing vocals on top of Suova's blissed-out chorus. She ramps up the camp factor, almost ad-libbing on top of cheap-sounding electronic piano stabs and synth strings. As a pastiche it has a certain charm, and while it's easy to be carried away by the light-hearted fun at its core, there's a nagging feeling that Shine 2009 don't move much beyond playing dress up.
The moments where the group looks to update the conversation, as on "New Rules", sound far more persuasive. That track in particular bounces with a hypnotically looping synth pattern and clubby drums, and it feels a little less studied. The shades of darkness in the textures and vocals in particular make for an interestingly sunburnt take on the Balearic sound. The directive of "I'll tell you how to do it/ Get ready for the new rules" also comes across as unexpectedly creepy in this context and makes for an oddly gripping narrative.
The title track is another intriguing moment, layering a delicate, monastic chorale on top of sliced keys and what sounds like a synthesized didgeridoo. As on "New Rules", there are enough leftfield elements and sounds to make for an interesting and evocative collage of material. But ultimately these moments of subversion are outnumbered by Shine 2009's more hollow imitations-- the worst being "One", a song played way too straight, its wah-wah laced guitar and glockenspiel synth sounding like the type of tacky chillout music played in an upscale cocktail bar. Suova's unassuming voice becomes part of the malaise instead of the laid-back counterpoint it plays on the record's stronger moments.
At their best Shine 2009's backward-leaning pop songs make for a lighthearted, fun listen. But the problem with the remodelled nostalgia of Realism is that it's hard to recommend it over the real thing, beyond the sensation of kitsch novelty that the record invokes. Dig any deeper and the pastiche feels a little empty; it can't hope for the kind of memories conjured up when you are caught off guard by a song you used to know and love.
