Caroline
Verdugo Hill
Temporary Residence Ltd.
Rating: 3.2 out of 5

Link: http://temporaryresidence.com/descriptions/trr156.php

It is hard to picture Caroline Lufkin being a massive Japanese pop star, not after listening to the more intricate and innocent electro-pop mood burner of her solo work. The Mice Parade member spins tales through a soft demeanor and a gentle drive for subtle after-hours conversation and sobering realism.

On “Sleep” you feel like the last soul on earth listening to the soundtrack to the last soul on earth. When Lufkin sings, you cannot help but feel like she is singing directly at you. You want to believe her when she sends words floating about. It might be the breathy, angelic voice that lures you. The minimal glitch pop accentuates the mood but never goes out of its way to distract the dominating vocals on the album.

Sometimes the beat is so sparse it barely holds a pulse. On “Pink Gloom,” she lets her voice carry her through. And having that much trust and confidence in those vocal chords gives confidence to the listeners’ perception of Lufkin.

The key to this album is that it is strong without being overbearing. Sometimes challenging while other times engaging, she feels her way through the songs and carries on a flawless transition with Murmurs, acting like five years and Mice Parade never existed.