On December 31, Albis released his latest single, entitled ‘P D X.’ This track feels like the joining of various components of the artist’s professional journey. Albis has deeply-set punk roots. However, much of his training is in classical jazz. Audiences may also have seen him playing with A Great Big World. While these styles may seem disjointed on paper, Albis proves with ‘P D X’ that there is a harmony to be had between them.
From the start, audiences can tell ‘P D X’ is going to be different than the softer lyricism of Albis’ last record, Animals. Opening with razored and heavy tones, this new single immediately grabs listeners. Andrew Borger soon enters on drums, layered beneath Albis’ voice. Throughout the intro, his vocal quality suggests he is leaning in - speaking directly to the audience. The track then takes a turn, as he backs into an aggressively sung rock track.
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Throughout ‘P D X,’ strong instrumentation carries the audience along. The artist manages to keep this single dynamic and interesting, without falling into over-layering. Similarly, he maintains a gritty and sharp rock feel, without losing the lyricism he showed off on his last few albums. His words, read out of context, could easily stand on their own. This blend feels like the result of a mature artist with varied experiences creating his own sonic cocktail.
When the track concludes, it does not feel like listeners have a “conclusion’ per say. More so, it disintegrates in a choreographed fashion - a near retrograde of the opening. This approach completes the chapter in a satisfying way.
Accessible without coming off as lacquered or contrived, ‘P D X’ is likely to appeal to a wide array of audiences. Listeners will be excited to see what comes next from Albis.