To be honest, this is not the follow-up album you would have expected. Or rather, you wouldn’t have expected a follow-up album at all. In 2022, Voice Actor emerged from the fog with the 110-track album (yes, one hundred and ten tracks) »Sent From My Telephone«—without really lifting it. Everything remained shrouded in that Dean Blunt-esque aura of enigma, and it would have made perfect sense if this sprawling yet captivating digital-only release had been their sole statement (aside from the condensed LP version).
Yet here we are, with the intriguingly titled »Lust«, a follow-up after all. This time, Noa Kurzweil and Levi Lanser are joined by Squu, though it remains unclear exactly what role they* play in the project. The core sound remains: a purple SoundCloud ambient-type beat, over which a woman murmurs in a drowsy voice. However, the occasional guitars are gone—and their absence is keenly felt. Much else remains obscure, too; the album’s liner notes provide no real insight. »Lust« initially threatens to dissolve into pure atmosphere: synth pads, hints of birdsong, hushed voices, and layers of effects. It’s the kind of sound that might intrigue only those whose musical horizon has yet to stretch beyond mainstream radio.
Fortunately, by track four, the art-school dropout moment arrives. Suddenly, we are in the pirate radio post-dubstep continuum, transported to England, where someone has their hand on your neck. Aha—it works after all. For a fleeting moment, it feels like a Smerz masterstroke. But then? Not much else follows. Maybe this is just the perspective of someone who has listened to all 110 tracks of »Sent From My Telephone« multiple times, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s hard to justify why »Lust« needed to exist as a follow-up. Those who found a home in the triptych of »Badman«, »Battling Dust«, and »Beautiful Burglar« may find little reason to move out.
Lust (1)
