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Expanding on the magnetic, minimalist post-punk frontier first chartered on their 2020 Goner debut, Optic Sink return with their second album, 'Glass Blocks'. Hot on the heels of their recent EP on Spacecase Records, the Memphis trio of Natalie Hoffmann, Ben Bauermeister, and Keith Cooper ventured out to Lawrence, Kansas to record at the home studio of Caufield Schnug (Sweeping Promises).
The resulting seven originals and a rendition of LiLiPUT's "A Silver Key Can Open An Iron Lock, Somewhere" define Optic Sink and their remarkable style with a clarity and power seldom realized in a studio setting. Hoffmann and Bauermeister command the high end of the mix with a gamut of perfectly dialed synth and percussive tones while Cooper's bass serves as rhythmic anchor. There's far more to dive into, whether it's the cold, driving beat of "Modelesque" or the minimal, percussive brilliance heard on "Glass Blocks". Perhaps the best part of the formula is the sheer amount of natural energy that gleams through the mix. Like a warm refraction of musical chemistry and originality, Optic Sink have struck gold with 'Glass Blocks'.
Our take: Glass Blocks is the second album from this synthy Memphis project featuring Natalie Hoffmann from Nots. I haven’t checked in with Natalie’s music for a few years, and while in some respects Glass Blocks’ icy, synthetic textures are a far cry from Nots’ rawer, more exuberant vibe, I hear enough continuity that it’s easy to imagine people following the entire ride. The cool analog synth tones and detached-sounding vocals on Glass Blocks bring Kraftwerk to mind, especially since the the title and chorus of the first track, “Modelesque,” makes me think of Kraftwerk’s “The Model.” Optic Sink does evoke the The Man Machine / Computer World era of Kraftwerk, though, particularly the way much of it lives in this space that’s between dance music and something a little too arty for the clubs… like music that only cool people could dance to. The songs’ arrangements contribute to that vibe too, with dynamics that shift slowly and subtly rather than quickly and dramatically. That lack of big gestures means Glass Blocks might not bowl you over on the first listen, but its subtle sense of cool means the more you listen to it, the more you’ll like it.
The resulting seven originals and a rendition of LiLiPUT's "A Silver Key Can Open An Iron Lock, Somewhere" define Optic Sink and their remarkable style with a clarity and power seldom realized in a studio setting. Hoffmann and Bauermeister command the high end of the mix with a gamut of perfectly dialed synth and percussive tones while Cooper's bass serves as rhythmic anchor. There's far more to dive into, whether it's the cold, driving beat of "Modelesque" or the minimal, percussive brilliance heard on "Glass Blocks". Perhaps the best part of the formula is the sheer amount of natural energy that gleams through the mix. Like a warm refraction of musical chemistry and originality, Optic Sink have struck gold with 'Glass Blocks'.
Our take: Glass Blocks is the second album from this synthy Memphis project featuring Natalie Hoffmann from Nots. I haven’t checked in with Natalie’s music for a few years, and while in some respects Glass Blocks’ icy, synthetic textures are a far cry from Nots’ rawer, more exuberant vibe, I hear enough continuity that it’s easy to imagine people following the entire ride. The cool analog synth tones and detached-sounding vocals on Glass Blocks bring Kraftwerk to mind, especially since the the title and chorus of the first track, “Modelesque,” makes me think of Kraftwerk’s “The Model.” Optic Sink does evoke the The Man Machine / Computer World era of Kraftwerk, though, particularly the way much of it lives in this space that’s between dance music and something a little too arty for the clubs… like music that only cool people could dance to. The songs’ arrangements contribute to that vibe too, with dynamics that shift slowly and subtly rather than quickly and dramatically. That lack of big gestures means Glass Blocks might not bowl you over on the first listen, but its subtle sense of cool means the more you listen to it, the more you’ll like it.