Poemss

A "less morose Stephin Merritt" isn't exactly the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of Aaron Funk; blinding drill 'n' bass breaks and ear-throttling experimental techno is. And yet here he is: the artist normally known as Venetian Snares, singing alongside Poemss partner Joanne Pollock on what can only be described as a dream-pop record. In every sense of the subgenre too, from its cloud-scraping keys, marshmallow-padded melodies, and gleaming loops to the pair's tall lyrical tales of porcelain forests, sunflower horses, and Technicolor escapes. "Ancient Pony," "Think of Somewhere Nice," and "Miles Away" are more abstract, letting Funk and Pollock's dew-kissed harmonies float against a bed of ambient textures, skeletal drums, and moonlit synth lines. So while Poemss is certainly more pleasant than Funk's Venetian Snares output, it's no less challenging or progressive.