Marble Raft – ‘Dear Infrastructure’

An abundance of glowing, dreamy pop earworms show throughout Dear Infrastructure, a delightful new album from Marble Raft, the Stockholm-based duo of Olle Söderström and Gabrielle Baker. A fantastic production pairs with a compelling thematic narrative, chronicling two fictional teenage protagonists who venture through an imagined, desolate metropolis. Each song captures a discovery of a new section within the city, from gardens overtaken by plants to crumbling concrete buildings. Both impress with their vocal work as well, bolstering the dual protagonist narration, as the meshing of synths, guitars, autoharp, glockenspiel, and beyond enamor with replay-inducing immersion.

A climactic, hooky appeal shows immediately with opening track “To Have and to Hold and to Break.” A magnetic swell of acoustic strums and twinkling synths move into a bursting synth/bass cohesion. Both vocalists show their melodic talents within, alternating leads as shimmering synths radiate amidst a hypnotic rhythmic undercurrent. A title-touting hook envelops, feeling cathartic as the vocals merge with cohesive entrancement. The ensuing “Here in Your Backyard” dazzles as well, contrasting the “it’s a wasteland,” opening declarations with a heavenly assortment of illuminated keys. Again, sporadic vocal swaps build enjoyable momentum into a wonderful hook, marked by a dual-vocal convergence and serenely impactful glistening from the instrumentation.

The lovely “Marble Halls” showcases meditative guitar strums and a spacious dual-vocal soaring, describing “flickering street lights,” and a “slumbering city,” in vivid imagery of the overgrown metropolis. The protagonists venture through abandoned apartments, beholding remnants of the past and contemplating what once was. The interior exploration aptly follows the cold sprawl depicted in the preceding “Rites of Passage,” where “through the cold,” journeys and sifting through “remnants of old,” provide a “spark of hope.” Again, the chorus enthralls with the gorgeously harmonious vocals and synth-laden glimmering.

“We’ll shape up, we’ll really try,” aspirational vocals let out on “Floral Haze,” an effervescent track where jangling guitars and summery synths move into an especially consuming “mend our hearts,” mid-point — where a string-touched feeling bustles into a duet-ing vocal power. Alongside the depictions of a barren metropolis comes the story of two protagonists who vow to continue fighting and make their mark, with hopes of eventual triumph within a post-apocalyptic setting. “Neon Signs of Life” continues that optimistic glow. Sparkling synth bounces and chilly woodwinds build invitingly, as lyrics reference “a sliver of hope,” into the cathartic title-referencing central hook. Dear Infrastructure is a resonating overall success from Marble Raft, intertwining heartfelt pop excellence with empowering messaging about picking up the pieces from past destruction.

Mike Mineo

I'm the founder/editor of Obscure Sound, which was formed in 2006. Previously, I wrote for PopMatters and Stylus Magazine.

Send your music to [email protected].

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.