Mint Julep - 'Stray Fantasies' Album Review

Tracklist:

1. Blinded 2. Stray Fantasies 3. Unite 4. White Noise 5. Just For Today 6. Escape 7. Vakaras 8. As Far As I Can Get 9. Translations 10. No Regret 11. Still Waters 12. Iteration

If you like a bit of Electro Indie Pop music, and which of us hasn’t secretly enjoyed a bit while swearing our undying love for Hardcore Death Metal, then you might just enjoy this new offering from husband and wife duo Mint Julep.

Is it groundbreaking? Not really. Does it feel like it could have been written at any time since the 90’s onwards? Yes, but it’s an enjoyable slice of Electro Pop with a slightly Indie feel to it.

Every so often, like on songs like 'Vakaras', 'Stray Fantasies', 'Still Waters' and 'Iteration' it reaches a higher level which suggests this duo are capable of so much more than they deliver on the bulk of this album.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed this album, it’s a decent listen and the standard never falls below good but when they hit the heights that they have within them they took me with them all the way.

My overall feeling after listening to this is one of frustration and disappointment that they didn’t produce the album they are undoubtedly capable of which would have been a clear and unarguable 5 out of 5.

Is Hollie the best singer I’ve heard? No, but, and here’s what’s so frustrating about this album, when it all comes together, her vocals are a perfect foil for the music and the whole sound just morphs into something greater than the sum of its parts. When it does that it is just fantastic music.

Will I go and check out their back catalogue? Yes, there is clearly a lot of talent here which I need to become more familiar with. Would I suggest listening to this album? Yes, there is a lot of good stuff here and even the songs that don’t quite hit the heights and are still better than many other bands operating in this space but I still can’t quite bring myself to say this is a great album, almost, but not quite.