- Expensive Looks is moniker of Brooklynite Alec Feld. His debut effort Dark Matters, released by New York label Group Tightener, sees the young producer explore a broad range of ideas and genres. At times this exploration leads him into several conflicting directions within the same track, and while this makes listening to Feld's debut not entirely pleasing, it keeps you intrigued throughout.
From the grand opener "Your Dreams Our Week," that starts off with a classic '90s house beat and quickly morphs into a cacophony of synths, to the closer "Vanishers" where Feld wraps his own vocals in euphoric piano riffs and big reverb-y drumfills, the record shifts between the brilliantly weird and the brilliantly sane, all fighting for the same space at once.
The production is cluttered; the bass shifts from muddy to non-existent and at times the overall mix sounds ear-piercing. Yet this record isn't made for club systems and cannot be governed by the same set of rules you would normally associate with an electronic music album. Dark Matters' biggest asset is Feld's enthusiasm, going about his tracks with the impassioned and youthful energy found in both punk and '90s happy house. This is best showcased in "Nothing More," a peculiar cut that combines Feld's shouty post-punk vocals with a synth line and arps intertwining in and around his vocal. The effect is an improvised and awesome mess of an electronic pop song. You get the feel that Feld's ideas are transplanted straight from his head and left pretty much unaltered in the arrangements—like short splashes of paint or croquis drawings done as a representation of the first fresh ideas. It's this sense of urgency that leaves you engaged throughout.
Tracklist 01. Your Dreams Our Week
02. Nothing More
03. Felt Up
04. Nightfalls
05. Tracewave
06. Be My Own
07. Sea/Air
08. Moving Visions
09. Vanishers