Friend of the blog Bayonne’s last album of new material (2023’s ‘Temporary Time’) produced a couple of bona-fide hits with literally tens of millions of streams, so when the experimental avant-pop artist’s new album landed at Start-Track HQ, we were very excited.
‘Filters’ finds Texas-based Roger Sellers (who changed his moniker to Bayonne in 2016) working through the grief around losing his father. He says, “It’s easy to get wrapped up in the negative, complicated aspects of our lives… For this album, I thought it was important to try and focus on healing and just rolling with the flow, even if it’s not easy.”
‘Filters’ certainly has medicinal qualities, because this is an album of pure electronic-pop perfection that will take you on a journey through loss, grief, hope, and happiness.
‘Unexpected’ – Ghostly pads, a gentle guitar, and a piano like a warm summer breeze, the album gets off to an exquisitely understated start. Bayonne’s vocals have a crystalline tone, and the extended notes in that melody cut through like a laser through the haze. I loved the interplay between the elements (it’s always nice to hear a glockenspiel!), and the way the song continues to evolve and build is really well done.
‘Good Enough’ – After that calm start, the album takes off with a chunky marching beat (complete with stomps and claps), giving this track great energy. It’s a bright, open sound with warped pads, airy keys, and a pretty chord progression that felt like a forgotten 80’s deep cut. A defiantly upbeat vocal is the icing on the cake.
‘Remedies’ – A healing lyric and a healing sound, there’s a soulfulness to the piano, and some gloriously tactile percussive sounds. They drip over your ears like melting butter. The arrangement is laser-focused, and everything feels as tight as a drum.
‘Gamut’ – I loved the halting rhythm on this one. A beautiful, soaring top line complements the groove with its singalong swing, and the huge drums add to the cavernous atmosphere. This one will put a smile on your face, for sure.
“Somewhere out in the ocean there’s a wave I’m sure to ride
Just as long as I find whatever’s inside”
‘Multiphase’ – I had the pleasure of reviewing this track when it was released as a single back in February. You can find Start-track’s previous reviews of Bayonne’s music here. Without repeating myself, this song is a real stand-out – incredibly atmospheric with layered lyrics. It’s a slightly melancholic ride, too.
“I know the aftermath
And feel the struggle within it
Leave me alone for a minute
As I work for the audio”
‘Oxygen’ – We’re past the halfway point now, and an urgent arp flutters away, becoming the backbone of this track. It’s a big sound, a relatively simple song – and perhaps one of the more transparent tales on the album
“And it’s never gonna feel the same
Sick of you, sick of me
I’m done”
‘Forget’ – Bayonne delivers yet another irresistible melody – it’s like Tears for Fears mixed with Simple Minds. There’s not a single wasted second, with beautiful backing vocals and rich textures floating by, one after another. The repeating motif becomes soothing, almost hypnotic by the end, and the tale here feels like a sister piece to the previous track:
“You said you’d never leave me
Wasn’t that deceiving
It’s something I don’t need to understand”
‘Alone For Now’ – The sound of running water is always a soporific joy, and after it fades away, it feels like we’re floating through an endless cave on a cloud of mist. In the second half, the mantra of “Alone for now” will pull at your heartstrings, with a subtle melody that resolves in a really haunting way.
‘January’ – We’ve definitely near the end of our journey – and hope feels like it’s front and centre again. The slide guitar and acoustic guitar gave subtle country vibes here. Of course, there’s another addictive hook, so pretty it actually made me smile. Bayonne’s vocal sounds incredible here – a tone pure and clear like glacial water. The longest track on the album, it never overstays its welcome – the last minute is an ethereal, ghostly trip that floats you away into space.
“January won’t take a hold of me
Keep waiting patiently
Until it’s gone”
‘Everything’s Alright’ – The closing track, and the shortest, simplest track here. Everything gets tied up in a pretty bow, and we’re sent on our way with a reassuring farewell.
‘Filters’ is brimming with gorgeous melodies and inventive production ideas. Field recordings play a part here for sure, with metallic clicks, organic squelches, and crisp rattles sprinkled in between more traditional sounds. Bayonne’s vocals shine like a light in the dark – lifting each track into the heavens.
This album seems to inhabit its own world, evolving and changing so that anything becomes possible. It doesn’t matter where you are – when you listen to these winding rivers of music, they’ll carry you somewhere brighter.
Written by Grubby
