Expensive Looks - Dark Matters Review

Expensive Looks' Dark Matters is worth a glance, but it could turn into a steady gaze for some of you.

Expensive Looks - Dark Matters (2012) - 6.2 / 10.0
Group Tightener

Expensive Looks is the project of upstart DJ Alec Feld. Growing up on a variety of influences -- house, Motown, and "trashy 90's dance" -- Dark Matters seeks to blend all of those influences into the debut Dark Matters. While he may not pull off the feat of introducing us to an innovative voice of the electronic genre, Dark Matters more or less marks an interesting debut with nine seamless songs that could please any fan of last year's M83 album Hurry Up, We're Dreaming. To Feld's advantage, Dark Matters isn't bloated with filler, and the album works as a whole experience rather than as a song here and there.

Dark Matters execution is smooth in its sound. Despite Feld's self-taught DJ skills of making music that he wants to hear, there's plenty that will appeal to other listeners and the ability for crossover commercial success. Dark Matters could serve as the soundtrack for more than one fashion show this year. Most of the songs are built around steady, throbbing instrumentals, but Feld sings a few times in the more memorable tracks "Nothing More" and "Be My Own". His vocals are wispy and not the most decipherable. However, they're a good change up from the bass heavy drums and syncopated keys that dominate throughout.

The album's closing "Vanishers" is a complete change-up from the preceding eight tracks. Once again, Feld incorporates his voice with an undercurrent of symphonic melody and Motown sample. It serves as an example of Feld's capabilities that could one day rival Anthony Gonzalez or Matthew Dear. For now, Expensive Looks' Dark Matters is worth a glance, but it could turn into a steady gaze for some of you.