Swedish artist Vanbot touts a brightly melodic synth-forward pop appeal on her fourth album, How Could I Prepare For This. “It wasn’t a deliberate choice, but the lyrics on the album revolve around breaking; breaking points, breaking up and breaking free, ten different shades of it,” she explains, describing the release as “soft, clubby dance music like you’re standing outside the club at 3 am as the dawn breaks.”
The album succeeds with a sound that does traverse in the hours between night and dawn, often strutting bright synth tones amidst moody vocal contemplation that transforms into clever hooks. “You Are Late” is especially indicative of the quality songwriting. Pulsing synths and sweetly endearing vocals enamor, depicting waking up in a haze into the colorful, bouncy chorus. “You only keep on digging deeper,” the vocals show here. References to “stretch marks” combine with a motivational, self-confident spree, empowering in its embrace of faults alongside a spirited synth-pop production.
“Pace and Pitch” reflects a more ballad-ready pursuit. Lamenting on outgrown dreams glide into a touching chorus, with soaring wordless vocal effects punctuating. The higher-pitched, lead vocal escalation during this moment compels, particularly as the added synth line prance emerges at the mid-point. ‘How Could I Prepare For This impresses in its dynamic electro-pop range, from more contemplative build-ups in the vein of “Pace and Pitch” to thumping pop energizers “Doubters Never Commit” and “The Weight of Rage.”
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“You Are Late” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of June 2023’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.
