“Odds Are Good,” Anoraak’s contribution to the Eskimo Recordings Presents: The Orange Collection compilation, came out a month ago, but the various bright and shiny objects of life distracted me from writing about the Valerie Collective member’s new song. I’m solving that problem right now.
On “Odds,” Anoraak blends 80s retrosynth elements and his soothing vocals — a pairing we’ve enjoyed since his early Valerie work about eight years ago — with the more club-oriented leanings he’s been working with in recent years. The effect is downright satisfying.
The cut is a slow-paced burner with a cascade of arpeggiated synthesizer hits that move around in threes or fours over a meaty and fuzzy backdrop. Anoraak’s smooth vocals take on a quiet calm as the arrangement gets increasingly more audacious, wading into some big ideas that are executed well.
The song fits the overall carefree, disco-laden, and somewhat-Balearic mood of the whole Orange Collection, which also features the likes of The Soft Machine, Majestique, and Horixon.
If I really try, I often find that anything can remind me of my Barcelona experiences (or what people tell me they experienced in the Islands), but the Mediterranean vibe is legitimately strong on Anoraak’s cut, as well as the whole collection.
Stay tuned for more timely posts about future Anoraak releases. In an interview he did with Vehlinggo in March he hinted at some top-secret projects in the works.
