Night Drive

Accurate title. This is absolutely an album to take a night drive to.

Cool ambient music to work to. Dug it a lot.

Yes! Chromatics is what this list needed, thank you for sending this one in!

Really just a fun time, and the Kate Bush cover was a welcome one.

The Chromatics have done some great covers over the years, I'm on fire, Into the black and this album features an absolutely gorgeous version of Running up the hill. This album had a nice transition from Side 1 to an atmospheric Side 2. Great recommendation and a great find!

This kind of dreamy, semi-detached synth-pop is right up my alley. The loose concept album helps maintain its moody, cinematic appeal throughout the long runtime.

The cover (reminiscent of Duran Duran's Rio) tells you exactly what you're in for. This album is a spacious synth pop masterpiece. The music is minimalist with some great orchestral touches throughout. I really like that this album is not afraid to lean into the ambient and instrumental aspects. There's a sense that everything here has room to breath and expand and the Chromatics trust their audience to go along with it. The result is something that feels very much like a night drive, how appropriate.

Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Night drive, Mask, Tomorrow is so far away, Circled Sun, I want your love

6/10. Definitely a pleasant listen, though I think I'd have gotten bored on some of the longer tracks if I hadn't been focused on work at the time.

Mix of synthy electronic sometimes with the modern whispy vocals and sometimes just grooves. Enjoyed it, could’ve been a little shorter for me

I liked this pretty well in its solider moments. The cover of Running Up That Hill did highlight the limitations in the singing. Serviceable but no Kate Bush. And then there were some extended intervals of really intolerable BS noise.

Chromatics must be credited with their interest in taking synthpop beyond its usual boundaries. They don't always achieve what they seem to be trying to do, but they are creative and adventurous enough to make the journey always worth it. Here, their approach to synthwave, their dream pop landscapes, and their experimentation in a genre so little given to it, labeled them at the time as a group to keep a close eye on

Not a bad album to work to at 5am. Very hipstery, odd, minimalist electronica. I think if it hadn't suited my mood at the time I would have hated it, but here we are. 3/5.

Love me some Chromatics, even if this isn’t their best work (check ‘Cherry’ for what I think is their personal opus). This one drags a tad too much for four-star territory, but it’s still got the classic synthwave stylings and luscious, 80s-esque production that the band made into their own personal style. Not as strong melodically as their other works, but it contains some of my fav tracks from the band - ‘Tick of the Clock’ is a nervy masterpiece, and my first intro to the band courtesy of Hotline Miami.

The more I listen to Chromatics the less pretty sure I am that I dig the approach. Healer highlights, and the Bush cover is more typical; Not bad, but a flat ambientfied take on the material. Nothing wrong with vibes, but mere invocation of nighttime does not draw out a concept as time so easily can.

My pick, great to see it come up. My favourite album of the century so far, one that really works as a whole rather than as a collection of tracks - like all the best albums. Feels like a real journey, with the details left to your imagination. Wonderful

This was definitely NOT what I was expecting from a band from Portland Oregon. I was a little perplexed at first, but fell into the groove quickly and really enjoyed this album! The cover of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” surprised me, both in that someone covered it, and that it was really my least favorite song on the album. It’s hard not to pale in Kate’s shadow… but that one ill-advised song choice aside, this is terrific!

Vaporwave - the album! I had a good time.

I never knew this band really, but I think I've heard a few songs here and there from soundtracks, etc. Sounds like this album was a bit of a departure from their previous sound of noisy lo-fi; this is very much a polished nostalgia. Apparently reminiscent of Italo Disco? I can see it. Has a nice low-key quiet dance to it. Was a decent working soundtrack. A bit too long though. I do have a playlist called "Driving" and as advertised a few tracks work well for that. For that reason I'm rounding up 3.5 to 4.

Enjoyable. Some synthwave-like music was needed in the list

Something decent at last!

Never heard of this band before. Excellent composing, pleasant electronic music and one outstanding cover version :)

Another one I have never heard of. I'm open minded and enjoyed the journey. It is relaxing and cool... something I could play on a long drive or while studying / working. Amazing, no, but definitely worth time spent listening. 3.75

Started off loving it as it was different and the main list really needed more albums like this, the Kate Bush cover not so good, but the rest of the album is ethereal and great. 4

Dreamy new wave

Never heard of Chromatics before, but really enjoyed this, late night ambiance can see me coming back to this more.

This is ok. On the one hand, I like the idea of a decently ambient album that scores a night drive. On the other hand, it's just a little boring. And I really don't like Running Up That Hill. 6/10

When I saw the words "Italian disco" I have to admit I was overcome by a feeling of dread. But this was actually very good. A little long maybe, but overall enjoyable. 3 stars.

Decent enough, but for me primarily background music. Just under 3 1/2 stars.

Italo disco, synthwave, synth-pop. Ni fu ni fa.

I love the slick, moody, atmospheric vibe of this album. There's something not quite right about Ruth Radelet's vocals though, which are overly soft and lacking in depth. This style of music is still right up my alley though, and I would listen again. Fave Songs: Let's Make This a Moment to Remember, Tomorrow Is So Far Away, Healer, Running Up That Hill, Tick of the Clock

A Kate Bush cover?!

Great as a mellow backdrop when I'm working, or when I'm having trouble sleeping. But other than that it's not all that exciting.

I do not really know what to make of this. First the album was too long to keep me fully interested. Second, it was too dreamy as if nothing really happened. Last, if you do cover, make it count. This was too straight forward.

Naaaaaaa not my ham 2 Didn't make running up that hill that good. That can't be too hard

Some ok electro-pop reminiscent of icy Depeche Mode or early New Order, but the boring soundtrack bits were way too long. Two minutes of synth-wind at the end of one track is unnecessary.

Ok

I'm not really sure what this is, which isn't always a bad thing, but on this occasion I didn't like it much. Ambienty, poppy nothingness. Rating: 2 Playlist track: Running Up That Hill Date listened: 11/11/24

I found this album quite dull and boring. And then 'Tick of the Clock' came on. Multiple times I thought: "What is this song?", "Why is this even a song?", "Why is this 15 minutes long?!?"... This 1 song completely broke the album for me, and is the main reason of giving this the lowest rate