• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • HOME
  • NEWS+OPINIONS
    • NEWS TO US
    • COLUMNS
      • APPARENT HORIZON
      • DEAR READER
      • Close
    • LONGFORM FEATURES
    • OPINIONS
    • EDITORIAL
    • Close
  • ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT
    • FILM
    • MUSIC
    • COMEDY
    • PERFORMING ARTS
    • VISUAL ARTS
    • Close
  • DINING+DRINKING
    • EATS
    • SIPS
    • Close
  • LIFESTYLE
    • CANNABIS
      • TALKING JOINTS MEMO
      • Close
    • WELLNESS
    • GTFO
    • Close
  • STUFF TO DO
  • TICKETS
  • ABOUT US
    • 5 DOUBLE-U’S
    • MASTHEAD
    • DISTRIBUTION
    • ADVERTISE
    • SUBMISSIONS
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • Close
  • BECOME A MEMBER

Dig Bos

The Dig - Boston's Only Newspaper

CURRENT STREET EDITION

DIG 23.02 – 1/28/21

TRACK REVIEW: PASSION PIT – “SOMEWHERE UP THERE”

Written by Chala Tshitundu Posted February 21, 2017 Filed Under: MUSIC, Reviews

Photo by Steven Brahms

 

GENRE | Electropop Eccentricity

LABEL | The Wishart Group

RELEASE DATE | February 14, 2017

VERDICT | More Mom Voicemails

 

Boston-bred electropop outfit Passion Pit are back to the old grind with their latest project Tremendous Sea of Love. The band has been dropping a track a day on YouTube through the Wishart Group, frontman Michael Angelakos’ artist support startup. Amongst the releases is “Somewhere Up There,” a six-minute experimental journey that is eccentric and eclectic from start to finish–even by Passion Pit’s standards.

 

“Somewhere Up There” bursts open with Passion Pit’s characteristic pitchy electric sound. Angelakos’ sickly sweet falsetto winds into the track, no louder or softer than the surrounding instrumentals. Going into the bridge (or, where a traditional bridge would be), the song becomes melodic chaos, with layers of distorted vocals and synth crescendoing until the track erupts into… nothing.

 

After a full second of silence, the track slides into a strangely intoxicating electronic interlude for an entire minute before being cut off by a spoken segment on the development of maternal instincts: “You know, when children are very little, the child-mother bond is developed from day one.” The brief social science lesson precedes another, more stripped musical interlude before the track closes with a 30-second voicemail from Angelakos’ own mom.

 

At first listen, “Somewhere Up There” seems like a strangely composed series of events, but after the second or third spin, it becomes clear that the track is simply an audio art piece meant primarily for expression, rather than consumption. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

Chala Tshitundu
More from author
  • Chala Tshitundu
    https://digboston.com/author/chala-tshitundu/
    STEF CHURA: THE DETROIT GIRL WHO ISN'T AFRAID TO GET MESSY
  • Chala Tshitundu
    https://digboston.com/author/chala-tshitundu/
    MAYA BEISER: REINVENTING THE WHEEL BY REDEFINING THE CELLO
  • Chala Tshitundu
    https://digboston.com/author/chala-tshitundu/
    HIP-HOP JOINS THE LITERARY CANON: KENDRICK LAMAR NOW ARCHIVED AT HARVARD
  • Chala Tshitundu
    https://digboston.com/author/chala-tshitundu/
    TRACK REVIEW: FORMALLY LETHARGIC - "ALL OUTTA BUBBLEGUM"

Filed Under: MUSIC, Reviews Tagged With: 2017, Boston, Dig, DigBoston, Electronica, Electropop, emerson college, local music, Michael Angelakos, Music, Passion Pit, Reviews, Somewhere Up There, The Wishart Group, track review, Tremendous Sea of Love

WHAT’S NEW

GUEST OPINION: TPS HOLDERS DESERVE PERMANENT PROTECTION

GUEST OPINION: TPS HOLDERS DESERVE PERMANENT PROTECTION

STATE WIRE: NEW MASS PESTICIDE RULES MADE TO PROTECT POLLINATORS

STATE WIRE: NEW MASS PESTICIDE RULES MADE TO PROTECT POLLINATORS

Gov. Charlie Baker announces an educator vaccine program Wednesday in a WCVB screen capture.

STATE ADDS 400,000 EDUCATORS TO LIST FOR VACCINE

INBOX: JOHN BARROS LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN FOR MAYOR OF BOSTON

INBOX: JOHN BARROS LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN FOR MAYOR OF BOSTON

TRUMP GUY WINS THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY TO FILL DELEO’S SEAT

TRUMP GUY WINS THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY TO FILL DELEO’S SEAT

CHECKING IN ON THE COMMONWEALTH’S COMPREHENSIVE CLIMATE BILL

CHECKING IN ON THE COMMONWEALTH’S COMPREHENSIVE CLIMATE BILL

Primary Sidebar

HEMPIRE FREEDOM PACK 25% OFF

FEATURED EVENT

Most Popular

  • SPECIAL FEATURE ON THE MASS STATE POLICE: TROOPER WILSON’S WAR by CHRIS FARAONE
  • [UPDATE: WE GOT IT!] WHERE IS THE CONTRACT FOR MASSACHUSETTS’ VACCINE APPOINTMENT SOFTWARE? by POLINA WHITEHOUSE
  • BOSTON LATIN ACADEMY GRADS FIGHT FOR REPRESENTATION IN ALUMNI GROUP by CHRIS FARAONE
  • MASS KEEPS TRYING TO BUILD A NEW WOMEN’S PRISON OUTSIDE OF PUBLIC VIEW by DAN ATKINSON
  • WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON WITH MASSACHUSETTS POLITICS AND VACCINATIONS? by ZACK HUFFMAN

READ CURRENT MEMBER EDITION

DIG Member 1.9 – 11/26/20

READ CURRENT STREET ISSUE

DIG 23.02 – 1/28/21

Footer

digbos

digbos
Virtual #event this #weekend. https://digboston.co Virtual #event this #weekend. https://digboston.com/zeitgeist-press-releasing-work-by-late-boston-poet-melinda-kweskin/ #reading #poetry #Boston #Massachusetts
Now, the singer and composer is aiming to take cen Now, the singer and composer is aiming to take center stage himself … https://digboston.com/video-mass-classical-musician-johan-lenox-works-with-hip-hops-top-stars/ #video #music #classical #hiphop #Massachusetts
This is my home. We don’t deserve to live in per This is my home. We don’t deserve to live in perpetual fear. https://digboston.com/guest-opinion-tps-holders-deserve-permanent-protection/ #opinion #immigration #TPS #politics #Boston #Massachusetts
“No one wants to live in a world where music is “No one wants to live in a world where music is created to please a cold-blooded algorithm.” https://buff.ly/2OmuqPR #surveillance #interview #politics #tecnology
Barros is the fifth mayoral candidate to enter the Barros is the fifth mayoral candidate to enter the race. https://buff.ly/3bj3EAW #politics #election #Boston #Massachusetts
Can a veteran of the Wisconsin Uprising and former Can a veteran of the Wisconsin Uprising and former Mass union leader rescue the IAFF? https://digboston.com/a-firefighter-election/ #labor #firefighter #union #election #opinion #WisconsinUprising #Massachusetts #national
New #report shows 1/6 of women in Mass prisons sen New #report shows 1/6 of women in Mass prisons sentenced to life without parole. https://digboston.com/commonwealth-committed-to-other-death-penalty/ #prison #prisoner #humanrights #criticism #Massachusetts
“The gratuitous militarization of police forces “The gratuitous militarization of police forces across the United States facilitated by this program has helped to turn these agencies into brutal weapons of repression.” https://digboston.com/inbox-group-calls-for-biden-to-abolish-police-militarization-program/ #police #reform #criticism #Massachusetts
It’s the second time in less than a year that pr It’s the second time in less than a year that progressives have been dealt a bitter defeat in a crowded primary race. https://digboston.com/trump-guy-wins-the-democratic-primary-to-fill-deleos-seat/ #politics #election #Democrats #primary #legislature #Winthrop #Revere  #Massachusetts #MAGA #herp #derp
As lawmakers consider Baker’s amendments to clim As lawmakers consider Baker’s amendments to climate bill, the fight for environmental justice continues. https://digboston.com/checking-in-on-the-commonwealths-comprehensive-climate-bill/ #politics #legislature #environment #activism #globalwarming #Massachusetts
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Social Buttons

DigBoston facebook DigBoston Twitter DigBoston Instagram

Masthead

About

Submissions

Advertise

Privacy Policy

Customer Service

Distribution

About Us

DigBoston is a one-stop nexus for everything worth doing or knowing in the Boston area. It's an alt-weekly, it's a website, it's an e-mail blast, it's a twitter account, it's that cool party that you were at last night ... hey, you're reading it, so it's gotta be good. For advertising inquiries: [email protected] To reach Editorial: [email protected] For internship opportunities: [email protected]