In the wake of dozens of heart-wrenching releases this summer (Torres, Waxahatchee, etc.), “Personal Computer” is a refreshing escapade into funk, electro and letting your hair down.  

 

Producer Kody Nielson, aka Silicon, opts for vivacious hooks and rollicking grooves with plenty of nods in the disco direction, seamlessly layered over his adoration for all things electronic. 

 

Computerization is not only the topic of the discussion but an integral tool in the production and the accessibility of the album. 

 

“Personal Computer” is fully accepting of a future where music flows through a computerized device rather than an analog speaker or a turntable. 

 

This perspective makes “Personal Computer” special, energizing the inanimate with soul, funk and neo-R&B influences. 

 

Its thoughtfulness sets it aside as an insightful commentary on the role of technology in our personal lives (while being a banger of a record).

 

Tracks like “God Emoji” are career definers. For Nielson, it serves as a twangy culmination of his entire debut. 

 

Compared to the rest of the LP, “God Emoji” crawls, spreading basic synth and funk licks generously over the phrase, “Don’t want to go out on a Saturday night.” 

It invokes a mantra uttered by many a millennial when Netflix is merely a laptop away. 

 

It’s a contemporary kind of love story, after which you know it’s time to clear your browsing history.

 

Much like a muffled phone conversation, on “Cellphone” Nielson’s voice enters the space in a fuzzy miasma, populating the track with ethereal praise. 

 

In less than three minutes, Nielson’s private conversations spill out over hot beats from a drum machine, creating an intimate conversation with the listener, interspersed with samples of actual phone calls.

 

“Personal Computer” is a modern album for the modern club-goer. 

 

Its depth makes it self-aware enough to deserve respect, yet its hip-shaking grooves take a primary focus for easy listening. Silicon defeats its own lifeless moniker with a steamy debut, starting this cozy fall season with a bang.

 

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