Album Review: Boy, RAC (Counter Records, May 8 2020)
RAC or Remix Artists Collective is the stage name of André Allen Anjos, a Portland Oregon based artist who started out remixing songs and became a recording artist in his own right. RAC’s last full length album, Ego (Counter 2017) featured a beautiful track that was in my top five that year, “Heavy” featuring Anjos’ long-time collaborator Karl Kling. RAC’s last outing, the Closer EP from 2018, used much quieter and simpler piano arrangements, creating a more cinematic vibe.
Boy offers synth pop, heartfelt ballads, and quite a range of styles in between. Overall, the album and indeed most of RAC’s original work evokes the brighter side of the 80s synth pop. Whenever I listen to RAC, I get the urge to listen to “Together In Electric Dreams” by Human League’s Philip Oakey and Giorgio Moroder.
“Oakland” featuring the Winnetka Bowling League is a lilting tune that could have been used in a John Hughes coming-of-age montage. “Together” featuring Evalyn, demonstrates Anjos’ ability to blend synth pop with contemporary R&B production choices a la Drake and his Ovo label sound.
Boy has a more melancholic side as well, with tracks like “Solo,” “Boomerang,” and probably my favourite cut at the moment, “Sweater” featuring Maddie Jay.
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