Shlohmo
Dark Red
TRUE PANTHER SOUNDS
7/10
Henry Laufer—a.k.a. Shlohmo—has crafted a somewhat pessimistic image for himself through his lyricless (and often reclusive and angsty) production. He knows this, too, giving the compositions of Dark Red, his sophomore full-length, a myriad of literally hellish track titles including “Ten Days of Falling,” “Meet Ur Maker,” “Buried,” and “Emerge from Smoke,” just to name a few. While certainly morbid, Laufer’s use of cyberslang admits a playful and self-aware level of irony that reveals itself through the album’s unique blend of electro-industrial, boiler room trip-hop with an occasional (albeit sparse and still ultimately strange) pop melody. With this atmosphere, Shlohmo demonstrates a profound sense of setting and skill. He’s created his own dark world simultaneously alien and concrete through Dark Red. The base elements of each track create a heavy foundation, but from there the layers progressively lighten—easing listeners into a soundscape more human and approachable, catchy and brooding.
