This dark-wave album from Calgary-born musician, visual artist and director Chad VanGaalen is, according to the man himself, one about “not feeling comfortable with really anything.” Despite that, however, his seventh album is saturated with the sentimental. A complex interplay of light and dark sits at the thematic heart of this record, with VanGaalen stepping away from his preoccupation with alienation and embracing emotions that span the spectrum; disembodiment, intimacy, paranoia, and playfulness, to name a few.

VanGaalen further takes his musical direction into a fresh realm here with regards to its experimental nature and independent creation. Indeed, while in ‘Static Shape’ he recruits his young daughters Ezzy and Pip to sing vocals (too cute?), on other tracks he introduces a Korg 770 monosynth dug from the deepest depths of his hoarder’s garage studio. It’s all the culmination of six years work predating 2014’s ‘Shrink Dust’ LP; a warming and human collection of feelings and experiences from real relationships.