Goodspace: Let's Talk About Death (digital outlets)

We saluted Goodspace/Jefferson Chen for his inventive album launch at a foodhall which we wrote about.

Now lets turn attention to what's on the menu.

Recorded at the Lab, Roundhead and his own studio, this album reflects Chen's considerable abilities and musical interests from the lightly boiling bass and percussion which drives She Don't Need You (which also gets away a serious guitar solo) to the psychedelic soul of Kicking Stones, through minimalist pop (the glitchy Sit Down) to the gravity-defying, feather-light Soap Dish.

Looking Down on Myself is a serving of mainstream Prince-lite shuffle-pop with an odd digression into a soundscape at the midpoint, and the final song You Only Get What You Need hints at a soft focus Hollywood musical.

Jefferson Chen is clever and accomplished, and he's managed to deliver -- with his band which includes Lloyd Thomason, Callum Lee and co-producer/co-writer Mareea Vegas -- an album which doesn't resort to those Kiwi default positions of reggae, a banger or something with a summertime vibe.

We may have mentioned this before but sometimes Elsewhere is sent an advance digital copy of an album which indicates the number of plays each track has had by others. Usually there's rapid fall-off after three or four songs.

But here's something which speaks highly of this album: there's barely a drop-off after the second song.

So people who have heard this are listening to the whole album.

You should too.

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You can hear and buy this album at bandcamp here