SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DEVON PARKIN – NEW BELIEFS ON LAYAWAY

DEVON PARKIN
NEW BELIEFS ON LAYAWAY
MYSTERYBOX RECORDS

Vancouver-based producer, Devon Parkin, has returned with his second full-length album, New Beliefs On Layaway. The album follows a string of singles and the 2023 release of his debut, Sit With Dirt, as Parkin hones a sound that is akin to that of an electronic oasis.

New Beliefs On Layaway opens with the “If Only We Had A Clue.” There is an immediate darkness to the track as the song emerges from a wave of white noise to reveal a lush electronic best, accented by chilling synths and ambient vocals. Despite the digital soundscape, there is something almost gothic to the song as Parkin bridges the gap between modern electronic music and ‘80s synthwave. While elements of this persist on the following track and the album’s lead single, “Gutterball,” particularly in the brassy melody, there is a distinctive shift in the vibe as Parkin’s introduces a more spacious arrangement led less by synths, but rather an actual groove between the drums, guitar, and bass.

As the album continues forward, there are clear connections between New Beliefs On Layaway to not only ‘80s alternative synth pop, but the jazz inspired electronica of Flying Lotus. From the unease behind “Simple Highs,” to the dissonance sprinkled throughout an otherwise lush groove on “Hold Onto The Sprawl,” Parkin has curated an album that feels reflective of our modern times. While the album may suffer from the absence of a standout track and feeling perhaps too much like background music – or maybe that very much is the point – New Beliefs On Layaway marks a distinctive sound that separates Parkin from his peers.

Across nine tracks, Parkin’s New Beliefs On Layaway establishes the Canadian artist as a songwriter and producer to watch. There is a great deal of potential and promise behind what is otherwise a solid sophomore release that should leave listeners curious as to where Parkin will go next.

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