Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
Even though Love X Stereo didn’t complete their plan of 37 songs in a year, it’s actually a positive. ‘37B‘ is the second set of tracks from their Patreon, and it stylistically goes into a different direction than ‘37A‘.
Thematically, ’37B’ sounds like a movie soundtrack full of 80s synth and melodies that create an audio journey that could easily be adapted into film. Even though the songs might sound bright with the synth and complementary melodies, ’37B’ is a bit more melancholy, as it follows the season that it was released.
Highlights like “Le Grand Bleu” show that Love X Stereo don’t need to stick to a single style to get their perspective across. While the duo have always favored electronic rock and pop trends, ’37B’ does sound like the band is moving outside of their comfort zone to really see how far they can go without boundaries. Even though “Instalove” sounds like standard Love X Stereo, Annie and Toby clearly don’t feel like they have to produce every single song the same way.
Like on ’37A’, there are strong and weak tracks. With more time to gestate, every track might have ended up different from what the released version was, but that’s the joy of Love X Stereo’s ‘37‘ series. The pair are forcing themselves to create new music at a speed that most bands aren’t able. This means that the band is spending less time thinking and more time feeling through the tracks. And as much as I loved ‘We Love We Leave Part 2,’ the 37 tracks are more interesting. I do think if Love X Stereo went back after the ’37’ series and choose to release a polished ’37’ album, many of the tracks would sound different.
There’s a lot to love on ’37B’, as it connects with ’37A’ perfectly while still going into a different direction. The subdued tone of ’37B’ shows that Love X Stereo don’t always have to ride a fast tempo to compose excellent songs. “Deeper Than The Dark” is one clear example of that. The high energy tracks from previous releases are fun, but when they take their time, Love X Stereo’s songs stick in your head for much longer.
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