1-800 GIRLS is the alias of British DJ Jake Stewart, who began making nostalgic, lo-fi house before transitioning into indie and alternative influenced electronica. Pulling from a range of influences, he melds into tracks which are futuristic and catchy, yet still emotional. LOVE, the debut album from 1-800 GIRLS, sees the DJ and producer drawing from a range of influences including art-pop and future garage to mixed results: at only 36 minutes, the album doesn’t give itself time to fully develop and reach its potential.
He particularly shines with vocal-led tracks, such as his remix of Good Posture’s ‘Italy’, which he strips back to transform into a more poignant, atmospheric piece. The album absolutely has moments like this, but often he fails to hit this balance. Songs like ‘grow’ lack focus: although its vocal performance and production are solid, the song fails to develop into something truly interesting, ending without fully grabbing your attention. This is the album’s main issue, as the ideas are interesting, but they often fail to fully materialise. The softer songs lack momentum; they’re pleasant-sounding but to a point which loses interest.
The album’s third track, ‘everythingtogether’, is one of the strongest. It wonderfully balances Stewart’s indie influences and his slick production. Gentle, humming synths provide a backdrop to slightly strained, lo-fi vocals that evoke LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy at his most subdued. It’s very charming, and the instrumental is warm and quirky, pairing well with the softer vocals. It sits somewhat uncomfortably in the track-list, however.
The second track and lead single, ‘eyecontact’ is a much harder-hitting tune featuring cutting, impassive vocals from New York’s Council; the angular drums and chopped vocal sample in this track sound abrasive, lacking a polish that would make the song more danceable. After a more ambient introduction with the album’s opener ‘limerance’, the transition comes across as quite jarring.
The album’s penultimate track, ‘ache’, executes this same angular, futuristic energy in a far more engaging way. It sounds mechanical, percussion pans from left to right behind bleeps reminiscent of a hospital’s heart monitor. It opens feeling cold and slightly off-putting, not quite settling in a way that keeps listeners engaged and on edge. Then, SØLV comes in with pained, whispered vocals that sound frail and almost desperate. She asks “what am I supposed to say to you?” as 1-800 GIRLS brings in some warmer synths that tip the track into sounding tender and bittersweet. The track filters out, leaving only the stripped-back percussion and heart-monitor beeps.
It’s the most developed on the album, sounding fully fleshed out in a way the majority of the songs don’t. The best example of that softer sound is the tenth track, ‘an empty seat’. Delicate, layered vocals plead, “don’t want me close, don’t keep near, just want your empty seat” alongside a simple, pure melody.
Overall, the album comes off unfinished. 1-800 GIRLS provides an interesting range of ideas and sounds, and the highlights on the album show he’s more than capable of executing them well. Although LOVE doesn’t quite seem to realise his potential, its high points are hopefully predictive of more to come in the future:, and 1-800 GIRLS’ impressive back catalogue indicates that his debut album doesn’t fully showcase his skills.
