Album Review: BØRNS - Dopamine
By Tori Ullman, Contributor
[Interscope; 2015]
Rating: 2/5
Key Tracks: “10,000 Emerald Pools,” “Fool”
Since the debut of his sweet and summery Candy EP, BØRNS' fans have been excitedly anticipating more material from the singer-songwriter who has been said to be one of indie-pop’s most prominent, revolutionary voices. The day finally arrived when Garrett Borns released his newest album, Dopamine. It was not worth the wait nor the hype.
The strikingly mediocre album seems to be nothing but a bubblegum sound accompanied by shallow, cliché lyrics that could be found anywhere on Tumblr using the hashtags #indie, #hipster, or #grunge. For example: “Our love is deeper than the oceans of water,” on “Past Lives.” However catchy and fun to sing along to, the album still lacks lyrical content and depth.
The album opens with a song previously released on his EP, “10,000 Emerald Pools.” The balance between its twinkly melody and playful, high-register vocals makes for an overall pleasant song. It captures interest, but as soon as the interest is fully established, it is interrupted by the abrupt transition into the next track, “Dug My Heart.” This choppy transition between songs is an overall trend throughout the rest of the record, making it less of an audible experience and more of spasmodic journey to nowhere.
BØRNS does a great job of delivering the fun, innocent sound he has become known for. He turns electronic synthesizers into instruments of childish wonder. The songs are catchy, the beats are cheerful, the lyrics are simple. Because of this, Dopamine is pleasant background music. Unfortunately, that’s the only purpose the album serves.
