POTION-SHOP
by INTERACTIVE CO.
Potion Shop is the latest full-length release of the project Interactive Co. Described as a hybrid of Vaporwave and Mallsoft music, Potion Shop is a definite treat to the eardrums. Throughout the album, you’ll be met with a consistent flow of lush, heavily textured lo-fi music designed to provoke relaxation, sentiment, and feel-good vibes.
Opening track “Met @ Online Coffee Co.” is an uplifting track with a definite summertime vibe. Upon hearing it, I felt as if I was looking through a vintage photo album of Florida beaches and California sunsets. The guitar patterns are tastefully played over psychedelic, swirly synths and a smooth groove that keeps it all together. “3D Render of the Soul” takes things down a notch. A slow-tempo track with some vocal “oooos” complimenting the arrangement give the track a nighttime feel.
Next, we’re met with “Hyper-Media-Dev” which has a very spacious element to it. A short and sweet track with an anthemic sensibility as outlined in the synth and guitar arrangements, I picture walking through a crowded amusement park or a large shopping mall on the weekend.
The variety on the album starts to show itself more on track 4, titled “Opulent Extra”, which goes more into Funky, Soulful, Smooth Jazz territory. The saxophone part is subtle yet incredibly effective in establishing and keeping it together. We’re next met with “Late in Yokohama” – a straight-forward, more distinctly Vaporwave style track with an ethereal atmosphere that doesn’t stray too far from its core. “Coast to Coast Sales” is a bit more abstract in its style; it sounds more like a collage of sound art with a continuous mood rather than a one single song. The complex arrangements, panned on each side of the headphones, are cleverly placed. As we reach the halfway point of the album “Big New Office (What a View)” has a strong 80’s, large concert club vibe to it. I’m reminded of a similar sound heard on Depeche Mode’s albums Black Celebration and Construction Time Again.
“All My Love For U” has a more chill, downtempo feel which captures the Summertime essence perfectly. Although it downplays the percussion, it doesn’t compromise the syncopated groove that keeps the track glued together. Track 9, “Tennis For Two” adds an element of Reggae and Funk without losing the Mallsoft vibe. A cool guitar part is tastefully performed around dreamy synth bursts. “Ms.-H20” treads into the more abstract, psychedelic territory. It has a mournful yet hopeful atmosphere, as if one is watching the sun set slowly over the ocean – enjoying each moment yet not wanting it to disappear. Track 11, “Smoking Area” is a short, transitory piece that begins with a trippy element to it. It can almost bust into a Hip-Hop groove if it wanted to, but it’s cut short. As we head into the next piece, “High Fashion” we’re met with a soulful, Jazzy synth pad and vocal melody that brings off a sensual, forbidden fruit sort of vibe. “Hidden Skate Tape Location” has a more repetitive, abstract Hip-Hop vibe similar to “Smoking Area”, yet it contains a deeper layer of mystery. “Better Luck Next Time!” has that 70’s/80’s movie vibe to it; the big synth toms and the groovy synth leads remind me of transitional scenes between pivotal moments in a movie or TV show where something really good, bad, or funny is about to happen. The short yet effective “Pyramid Level” is one of the darker, more experimental tracks on the album. It starts with a slow, mysterious groove before suddenly bursting into a creepier, faster groove that suddenly ends before the mood becomes even more strange. Closing track, “Whirlwind Sage” brings the album back to full-circle on a more upbeat, positive note. It has a solid groove, and the distinctly summertime vibe that reminds me of being by the calm shore near midnight – that time when the crowds are gone and only the sounds of the crashing waves are present.
Potion Shop is a nice release that I recommend to any avid listeners of great music. You don’t need to live by the beach or spend all your time in the tropics to enjoy this. Just put on a good pair of headphones, close your eyes, and get lost into the dreamy, summertime sensation that this album will evoke on to all of your senses.
