Bleep

'Paracosm' is the second release from musician Ernest Greene as Washed Out, out on Domino imprint Weird World. The familiar hallmarks of his sound remain evident: smudgy choruses that seem to drift in and out of focus, plenty of dreamy echo and his loose, seemingly effortless way with song craft. The lullaby rhythms and starry vocals of 'Great Escape' conjure up the kind of wistful feel he's always done so well. 'Paracosm' though - the word for a detailed imaginary, fantasy world created commonly by children - exists in a more refined sphere to his previous work. There are more analogue instruments this time around, the strum of guitars, the crisp shuffle of a drums, and the overall feel is fresh and forwards facing rather than tied back to nostalgia. All in all, it's an album that retains what was most memorable about his sound - this was the artist practically responsible for defining the sound and imagery most associate with "chillwave" - but he's also moved on, proving he has longevity and can make his brand of faraway psychedelic, pop music grow.