Protection is a long-gestating synth duo consisting of New Orleans' Sam Houston and NYC's Daniel McKernan, the latter of whom has collaborated with both Coil and Cyclobe in the past. Given that pedigree, it is not surprising that this debut EP boasts a distinct Coil influence, but that nocturnal, hallucinatory thread is wonderfully bolstered by both a knack for strong hooks and a guest appearance by the always charismatic Little Annie.
"Prayer" opens this 6-song effort in an ambiguous, mysterious, and deceptively atmospheric way, combining a slow, locked-groove-like pulse with somnambulant, chanted vocals from McKernan that sound like an invocation.It is not a weak piece by any means, but it is certainly an unusual way to start off the record, evoking a phantasmagoric, gently warped, Coil-esque otherness without quite highlighting many of Protection's strengths.As an introduction, however, it works nicely: Houston and McKernan are merely setting the stage for what is to come and what is to come is almost uniformly great.The first evidence of that is the brooding, minimalist synthpop of "Popcycle," which features a strong, obsessive-sounding vocal hook from McKernan over a simple, yet gradually intensifying, bed of darkly burbling synth and a propulsively clattering and thumping percussion loop.As fine as that piece is, it is very nearly eclipsed immediately by the following Little Annie showcase, "Jack/Rabbit," which treads similar, yet slightly more menacing, musical territory beneath Annie's cryptic, disjointed, and layered spoken-word monologue.While it is not quite as hooky and tautly crafted as its predecessor, it more than makes up for it by favorably recalling the bite of prime Annie Anxiety.
Remarkably, the second side opens with a piece even better than anything on the already wonderful first side, as the McKernan-sung "I Worry If You're Warm" sounds like the best song Cold Cave never wrote..or maybe even Depeche Mode.In any case, Protection manage to deliver an absolutely perfect, haunted-sounding synthpop gem that is every bit as hooky and flawlessly crafted as Depeche Mode's best work, but with more gravity, intelligence, and complexity (the latter of which only becomes fully clear when the layers gradually fall away to leave only Christiana Key’s tense violin).The more languorous and shuffling Houston-sung "Before I Was a Man" dips the momentum a bit, but remains likable.  Though "Man" is the only piece where Sam handles lead vocals all the way through, his melodic and soulful vocals are an inspired foil for McKernan's own deadpan delivery throughout the album, popping up again and again for choruses and harmonies. Speaking of vocals, Little Annie appears yet again for the EP's conclusion: a surging reprise of "Jack/Rabbit" remixed by producer Bruno Coviello, Jr. (formerly of Light Asylum).While I probably would have preferred another new piece, it is hard to complain about getting to hear one of the record's highlights return in a heavier, more tensely jittery form.
If this EP can be said to have a flaw, it is simply that I wish there were more songs, as two of the six pieces are either remixes or introductions.That would not normally be exasperating, but Sam and Daniel started recording this effort all the way back in 2011, so it could be quite some time before the duo surfaces again (that translates into roughly one completed song per year).Still, that time was definitely well-spent and I am glad Protection did not pad their debut with any weaker material, as practically everything here sounds like it was painstakingly crafted to absolute perfection–you only get one chance to burst onto the scene, I guess.In any case, I have been playing the hell out of this EP and emphatically believe that "I Worry If You're Warm" is one of the best songs that anybody will release this year.Houston and McKernan have found themselves a truly wonderful niche, as it is truly rare to find synthpop this tough and subtly hallucinatory and even rarer to find experimental music this tightly structured and hooky.
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