Camelo - "Schizophrenia"

Danish artist Camelo’s music exists right on the edge of danceable indie pop and a sort of beat-heavy, industrial punk, which is a great place to be, as it’s adventurous without ceding any territory when it comes to hooks. In this respect, his brand new record, Schizophrenia, is an appropriate title, as the songs on the record cycle through distinct phases of madness and calm. It makes for an exciting and invigorating listen, as Camelo takes us down a road with several unpredictable twists and turns that’ll keep you on your toes across its eight stunning tracks.

What stands out the most on Schizophrenia is Camelo’s ability to mix several distinct musical styles and traverse quickly and seamlessly between what on the surface seem to be contrasting sonic elements. At several points, the mood is more placid, but turn the page, and things explode. One moment, a pummeling, rave-like beat is moving at breakneck speed, but then the seas are parted, and Camelo steps in with a light melody, effectively shifting the focus to synth-driven dance pop. The record follows this trajectory from its opening moments, starting with the mellower “Forever Sunday,” which goes down easy like an afternoon on its namesake day of the week, but the scraping beat and shout-sing vocals on the second track, “Bad Boys,” signal a quick change in tone that just as briskly shuffles back to allow Camelo’s voice free range to roam. “Spider Queen” and “Mind Me” share similar dynamics, mainly, furious rhythms and beats that step back at times to let Camelo shine through some of the darker patches. The title track, “Schizophrenia,” serves as a quick 30 second palette cleanser that introduces the second half of the record, which is a bit more genial. “Too Much Time” starts with swooning vocals and maintains the flavor of a futuristic, sparkly sounding ballad, as Camelo sings about feelings of isolation and being trapped inside the confines of your own mind, while the closing track, “Seagulls,” approaches the ending a bit more steadily, thus ending things with a parachute-like landing.

You can stream Schizophrenia on your platform of choice. Keep up with Camelo by liking him on Facebook and following him on Instagram.