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Toro y Moi - Boo Boo (Carpark Records)
Released: July 7th, 2017
Toro y Moi, also known as Chaz Bundick, is back with his 5th studio album Boo Boo. This is his latest release since 2015's What For?. Known for his synth-pop and chill-wave sound, Bundick claims he drew from musicians like Travis Scott, Daft Punk, and many others for inspiration on this new album. Those inspirations are present throughout, along with some 80's funk vibes. This album was very different compared to his last. What For? took a more psych and indie-rock approach (Listen HERE). Assuming that trend was going to continue, this stylistic approach was a little bit of a surprise. Toro y Moi stays grounded to his chill-wave backbone on this new record right here.
The singles from Boo Boo got me excited for this album, specifically "Girl Like You". I love the thumping hip-hop percussion along with the wide synth-play. The primary chords throughout the song sit so nicely throughout the track, creating a very enjoyable aura around itself. The repetitive synth hit that continues throughout the song adds a nice touch and layer to the overall track. Chaz's lyrics are that of a simple question, "What's it gonna take for a guy like me to find a girl like you?"
The other single from Boo Boo "You and I" is this gorgeous synth driven ballad. Nothing but Bundick's vocals, synthesizers, and light percussion could easily fill a room. The reverb and delay effects on his voice really bring the song to life, making the track even more spacious and full. Lyrics evoke the emotions someone may experience while a rough change occurs in a long relationship.
"Mirage" and "No Show" are back to back tracks that are heavy on that 80's funk vibe. The thick bass production and 80's dance-keyboard strikes on "Mirage" combine for a solid lead-off track. The percussion is punchy and plays a huge role in the song. "No Show" is more chill and relaxed track. An 80's-esque bass-line truly shifts the song forward and provides the track with some movement.
The Travis Scott influence is very prominent on "Windows". The percussion and the auto-tuned vocals are sections that would've fit nicely on Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight, and would've been better with Travis Scott instead of Chaz Bundick. Another track that didn't appeal to me was "Don't Try". The drum loop, which is playing through the whole song, gets very stale, very quick. There is honestly nothing to this track, it is very flat and bland. A song I truly have no feeling for is "Inside My Head". Wearing his inspirations of Prince and Michael Jackson on his sleeve, Bundick creates this 4 minute track that I thought was just 'okay'.
Other tracks that stood out to me appeared in the latter half of the record. I like "Labyrinth" specifically for that wavy melody that shows up around 35 seconds into the track. The instrumentation is very low-key and simple but that wavy section makes the song groovy and gives it something extra. The use of the bell-piano keys and vocal samples (AH, AH, AH, AH) also add to the song. I also enjoy the closer "W.I.W.W.T.W.", where we have Chaz sing about his feelings about "what is wrong with this world". This 7 minute finale contains the thick and heavy percussion which we have heard before throughout Boo Boo. Flashes of auxiliary synth sounds appear all over the track.
Overall, I thought this new Toro y Moi record was 'okay', no more no less. For the tracks I did like, I found them entertaining, funky, groovy, and enjoyable to listen to. I like that I could listen to a more chill-wave pop-tune like "Girl Like You", but at the same time I can also find a slower ballad like "You and I" on this record. Although versatile, I found this album to only be 'okay' because it truly only appealed to me through a few songs. Personally, I feel this album had no in-between, it was either I truly enjoyed the song or I didn't. All in all, it was cool to see Toro y Moi return to his original chill-wave sound and experiment on top of what he has already mastered in the past, but I wish it was just a little bit better. Listen below...
Listen:
Toro y Moi - Girl Like You
Toro y Moi - You and I
Toro y Moi - Mirage
Rating: 5/10
Genre: Chill-Wave/Indie-Pop/Electronic/Synth-Pop
Fav Songs: Mirage, No Show, Girl Like You, You and I, Labyrinth, W.I.W.W.T.W.
The Travis Scott influence is very prominent on "Windows". The percussion and the auto-tuned vocals are sections that would've fit nicely on Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight, and would've been better with Travis Scott instead of Chaz Bundick. Another track that didn't appeal to me was "Don't Try". The drum loop, which is playing through the whole song, gets very stale, very quick. There is honestly nothing to this track, it is very flat and bland. A song I truly have no feeling for is "Inside My Head". Wearing his inspirations of Prince and Michael Jackson on his sleeve, Bundick creates this 4 minute track that I thought was just 'okay'.
Other tracks that stood out to me appeared in the latter half of the record. I like "Labyrinth" specifically for that wavy melody that shows up around 35 seconds into the track. The instrumentation is very low-key and simple but that wavy section makes the song groovy and gives it something extra. The use of the bell-piano keys and vocal samples (AH, AH, AH, AH) also add to the song. I also enjoy the closer "W.I.W.W.T.W.", where we have Chaz sing about his feelings about "what is wrong with this world". This 7 minute finale contains the thick and heavy percussion which we have heard before throughout Boo Boo. Flashes of auxiliary synth sounds appear all over the track.
Overall, I thought this new Toro y Moi record was 'okay', no more no less. For the tracks I did like, I found them entertaining, funky, groovy, and enjoyable to listen to. I like that I could listen to a more chill-wave pop-tune like "Girl Like You", but at the same time I can also find a slower ballad like "You and I" on this record. Although versatile, I found this album to only be 'okay' because it truly only appealed to me through a few songs. Personally, I feel this album had no in-between, it was either I truly enjoyed the song or I didn't. All in all, it was cool to see Toro y Moi return to his original chill-wave sound and experiment on top of what he has already mastered in the past, but I wish it was just a little bit better. Listen below...
Listen:
Toro y Moi - Girl Like You
Toro y Moi - You and I
Toro y Moi - Mirage
Rating: 5/10
Genre: Chill-Wave/Indie-Pop/Electronic/Synth-Pop
Fav Songs: Mirage, No Show, Girl Like You, You and I, Labyrinth, W.I.W.W.T.W.
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