Albums to watch

Paracosm

Washed Out

Paracosm

Ambient synth-driven indie pop on the 2nd album from Georgia-based producer Ernest Greene, formerly regarded as a pioneer of the chillwave movement

ADM rating[?]

7.1

Label
Sub Pop
UK Release date
12/08/2013
US Release date
13/08/2013
  1. 8.3 |   Pretty Much Amazing

    Not unlike other inaugural members of the chillwave genre, Greene has simply become a pop musician – a pop musician with a unique style and gift with emotive melodies
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  2. 8.2 |   Paste Magazine

    A stellar feel-good summer record that measures Greene’s growth as songwriter and musician
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  3. 8.0 |   Sputnik Music (staff)

    Paracosm works as a stunning reminder as to why, perhaps, some of us find chillwave to be so uniquely addictive
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  4. 8.0 |   State

    Paracosm sounds just like its title suggests – a meandering voyage into a fantastical world full of natural and musical wonder
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  5. 8.0 |   All Music

    A huge step forward
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  6. 8.0 |   FasterLouder

    One of the year’s best records so far
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  7. 8.0 |   Slant Magazine

    Exploring the furthest reaches of what bedroom music can accomplish without abandoning it for something totally unfamiliar
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  8. 8.0 |   The Guardian

    It subtly shifts the boundaries of what Greene does in a way that makes you intrigued to hear what he does next
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  9. 8.0 |   Drowned In Sound

    This might not seem like an aural paradigm shift to some, but Paracosm is still a vital progression for Washed Ou
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  10. 8.0 |   The Skinny

    The sound is so textured you could dive right in and fall without ever reaching the bottom
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  11. 8.0 |   Loud And Quiet

    While the overall sound hasn’t changed dramatically, this is a more than worthy follow-up to an excellent debut
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  12. 8.0 |   DIY

    Washed Out himself stumbled first time round, even. Here he creates a fuller piece, totally unconcerned with its context and its audience. Hence why it excels
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  13. 8.0 |   Mojo

    Adds bite to his blissful, summery, synth-pop. Print edition only

  14. 7.5 |   A.V. Club

    Greene is no longer satisfied just to give people some giddy danceable jams for hazy summer nights. He still wants to see them dance, but he also wants them to feel utterly transported while doing so
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  15. 7.5 |   The Line Of Best Fit

    Paracosm is – by and large – a success. At the very least, it’s an admirable first step into something far more profound
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  16. 7.5 |   The Quietus

    He's not quite cracked it, but it's a big step in the right direction
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  17. 7.4 |   Pitchfork

    While Paracosm isn’t going out of its way to convert anyone, it’s a modest display of staying power, proof that Greene is a niche artist who hasn't yet suffered from redundancy
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  18. 7.0 |   PopMatters

    There is both a joyful sense of returning to a comforting locale, one special to you in a way like none other, and a melancholy on finding that it no longer holds that same soothing effect
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  19. 7.0 |   musicOMH

    The core elements that made Washed Out’s first album a success are still present, but they are amplified and taken to entirely new places
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  20. 7.0 |   No Ripcord

    Even though there aren’t any forcible tracks or extreme depth to this album, it captures an experience that should be played out entirely
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  21. 6.5 |   Under The Radar

    While not as immediate as its predecessor, Paracosm emits the cozy glow of an artist happy to remain in a comfortable sense of stasis. Giving in to its charms is really all you can do
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  22. 6.0 |   Spin

    He's created a beautiful ocean of noise, but such a vast sea can be immensely powerful, and the "feeling" that he's so desperate to convey too often gets submerged
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  23. 6.0 |   Clash

    Paracosm, as its title certainly implies, is a mystical fantasyland into which the listener can dive, and experience escapism
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  24. 6.0 |   Q

    At its best it makes for luxuriant listening. Print edition only

  25. 6.0 |   The Irish Times

    It’s big and lush and determined to be taken seriously, although, as is often the case with Washed Out, the production largely trumps the songwriting
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  26. 6.0 |   Consequence Of Sound

    Forthright in its intent, but to mixed success
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  27. 4.0 |   The Observer

    This remains non-ironic music about nothing more interesting than vague good vibes
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  28. 4.0 |   NME

    Earnest Greene decides to stand and die by the chillwave fort as the entire genre collapses around him
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Washed Out: Paracosm

  • Download full album for just £8.01
  • 1. Entrance £0.89
  • 2. It All Feels Right £0.89
  • 3. Don't Give Up £0.89
  • 4. Weightless £0.89
  • 5. All I Know £0.89
  • 6. Great Escape £0.89
  • 7. Paracosm £0.89
  • 8. Falling Back £0.89
  • 9. All Over Now £0.89
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