Washed Out - 'Paracosm'

By Max Goodley

Washed OutParacosmSub Pop

The aptly-titled second album from Perry, Ga.’s Washed Out, aka Ernest Greene, presents us with a world filled with chillwave grooves and dream pop journeys, accompanied by the best production the artist has worked with thus far.Paracosm marks a slight deviation from the purely electronic sounds Washed Out has used in the past with the addition of new instruments like violins (“It All Feels Right”) and pedal steel guitar (“Paracosm”), which lend themselves well to his more organic sound while still keeping his trademark trippy electronica.The best example of his new sound is standout track “All I Know,” where an acoustic guitar serves as background for the synthesizer and a beautiful piano-cello duet delights during the instrumental breakdown. Paracosm is a concept album about Greene’s envisioned fantasy world.To fully appreciate the album, listen to it in its entirety as the songs transition seamlessly into each other. Washed Out has come a long way since his first cassette-only High Times EP in 2009, making this his best album to date.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9l2C27jP4Kw