The dream-state pop that producer
Nathan Jenkins makes under the name
Bullion reaches its most pristine form on
Affection. In the years preceding this full-length,
Bullion took the form of warped, glitchy dance-pop, fragmented sample collages, and early on, a surprisingly listenable mashup of
J Dilla beats and elements of
the Beach Boys'
Pet Sounds. With
Affection, the mix of uncluttered electronic sounds, new wave touches, and sophisti-pop melody that
Jenkins has been refining on his 2020s
Bullion material comes through in new dimensions. The hooks are immediate but still subtle, beginning with the
Panda Bear-aided opening track, "A City's Never."
Jenkins' arrangement on the song is unusual, beginning with a bold announcement of its chorus, then drifting through various instrumental connecting points and
Panda Bear's blurry verses before cycling back to the central theme. It's surprisingly catchy for a song as uncommonly designed as it is, and this becomes a trend for much of the album. "Rare" features vocals by
Carly Rae Jepsen and uses this strangely shaped duet to decorate a skeletal instrumental that's restrained and emotionally grasping, injecting modern pop appeal into the kind of sighing beauty that bands like
Talk Talk and
the Blue Nile perfected. Almost deceptively, the songwriting is just as strong throughout
Affection as the production. "Your Father" unfolds from sleepy synth bubbles into a compelling lyrical narrative and an instrumental that builds into buzzy, euphoric pulsation. More minimal moments like "40 Waves" expand on the secret worlds of imagination that ambient pop course-setters like
Arthur Russell and
Brian Eno created in earlier generations.
Bullion's additions to this specific library of sounds are fresh and individualized, making
Affection a soft world of its own, and one that merits frequent return visits and continued exploration. ~ Fred Thomas
