On 2019's mythologically inclined
Hypnos,
Xeno & Oaklander based their songs on stories from the ancient past, but on
Vi/deo, the situation the world found itself in during the COVID-19 global pandemic guided their muse. Having moved their studio to Connecticut, far from New York City and the clubs and parties that sparked their partnership,
Sean McBride and
Liz Wendelbo were inspired by the memories of dancing and by the hope that they could do so again in the near future. Though
Vi/deo was made in an era of social distancing,
Xeno & Oaklander have rarely sounded as direct and present as they do here. As
Wendelbo sings over intricately meshed synth patterns on the opening track "Infinite Sadness," "Sounds of the underground/Will echo in future days/Feelings of misery/Will fade into the haze." There's an apt vibrancy to
Vi/deo's songs, thanks to the poppier songwriting of tracks such as "Afar," where
Wendelbo's French vocals -- which she modeled after the singing of choir boys -- are particularly compelling (to be fair, when she sings about different hues on "Technicolor," it's just as intriguing). Elsewhere, touches of Italo disco make "Poison" one of the most direct and danceable songs on the album.
Xeno & Oaklander's minimal sound has always been a perfect foil for maximal concepts, and fittingly, they examine video's ability to capture reality and create fantasies with songs that exist in a liminal space between the two. On tracks like "Television" and "Movie Star," the shifting and interlocking synth motifs, slippery chord changes, and eerily sparkling electronics have an almost visual quality, as well as a nervy undercurrent that keeps their precision from being too coldly perfect. Though
Wendelbo and
McBride stretch out a bit with the beautifully gloomy "Rain Garden," the album's concision only adds to its mystique. One of
Xeno & Oaklander's finest moments,
Vi/deo pays graceful tribute to the memories, fantasies, and dreams that sustain us when times are hard. ~ Heather Phares