Sweet Trip - Velocity: Design: Comfort (Album Review)

 

Sweet Trip - Velocity : Design : Comfort

(2003)


My copy: 2020 limited press on clear and translucent blue vinyl by Darla Records.


Sweet Trip spent five years recontextualizing the towering IDM atmospheres of their debut album into the genre-bending masterpiece that is Velocity : Design : Comfort. Mountainous digital landscapes are topped with jangled and distorted guitars all while vocal harmonies glide in and around the layers of melody and noise, creating a rich musical palette. 

“Tekka” is an abrasive entrance into the colorful world of Velocity : Design : Comfort; it is firmly rooted in fast paced IDM with glitched sound effects and rapid-fire percussion. The album’s introduction is sharp and chaotic but also blooms into soothing synth textures before kicking into the sunny shoegaze/pop of “Dsco.” The vinyl pressing of the record is forced to shuffle tracks slightly to fit some of the longer songs, causing the groovy and repetitive fusion of indie and shoegaze “Chocolate Matter” to follow directly after “Dsco.” These two more pop-oriented tracks feature stellar vocal performances from Valerie Cooper, whose soft, sweet voice makes the perfect addition to the often harsh backing sound effects. 

“Velocity” is opened wide by warm lo-fi synth blankets while electronic percussion and samples crackle, leading the song into comforting melodies. What makes Velocity : Design : Comfort so special is an incredible sense of balance; songs build and spasm with near overwhelming layers of sounds before settling down into more traditional structures. “Velocity” itself gains pop choruses with catchy vocals but is also adorned by various effects that make the record feel alive. 

Lullaby vocals break through the static on “Fruitcake And Cookies” before the song erupts into a stuttering IDM passage that’s later followed by one of the most cathartic shoegaze breakdowns recorded in the genre. The warm tabla playing on “Sept” gives an earthy sense that contrasts with the hissing electronic experiments. “Sept” is mostly a meditative showcase of repetition, with disco strings and countless new sonic layers being shuffled in and out. “Pro: Lov: Ad” is the most spastic of the shorter tracks, going from glitchy beats that surprisingly sample Megadeth to a pulsing futuristic chorus; the song winds down to a gentle stream of guitar and synth before abruptly snapping back to its glittery chorus. 

“Design: I” is a brief instrumental made up of ambient electronic melodies over a bouncing beat. Even the interlude moments on this record are high quality, with tight production (albeit a bit tinny at times) and an undying sense of creativity that is showcased through the waves and waves of intriguing sounds that are always spilling over the foundation. 

The album arrives at its emotional climax in the ten-plus minute masterpiece  “International” which combines swooning 60s pop with electronica through an unchanging core melody that ties the three movements of the track together. EQ trickery is used to mute and louden elements of the mix, which makes for attention grabbing moments all through the record, but is especially effective at giving emotional credence to the ending of “International.” I don’t think there are many other albums that can project such vivid imagery into my mind as this one. 

“Dedicated” is more electronic focused with somber vocal choruses and warm synths that comfort the listener like a warm hug from a good friend. A bit-crushed melody and tempo changes accompany the tender singing on “To All The Dancers The World, A Round Form Of Fantasy” which saves its crescendo for the outro. The closing track is the stilted and shapeshifting “Design: 2: 3” which begins as a repetitive passage that slowly builds into a powerful apex, descending into cacophonous shoegaze before being ripped apart by glitches. Velocity : Design : Comfort opts to end in comfort, with the final passages of “Design 2: 3:” settling with a caressing vocal duet and calming progressions. 

This record is a stimulating whirlwind of processed digital chirps and heavy cascading guitars: it is less of a rock record and more a vibrant collage that has been painted with loving, funny, warm and even somewhat scary sounds. The ultimate crossroad of electronic stuttering and shoegaze warmth, Velocity : Design : Comfort is best consumed through headphones while wrapped in a warm blanket. This album is at times accused of being too sugary, but anyone who has listened fully will recognize that the electronics are meant to be the aggressive and chaotic force of the album. Some songs linger a bit longer than they probably should, but as it stands Velocity : Design : Comfort is one of the best from its era.

If you want this record, you can get it for some pretty competitive prices on discogs (mostly above 50 dollars).


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