The Last Goodbye: Album Review

Last month, electronic duo, Odesza, released their latest album The Last Goodbye. Their last album came 5 years prior with 2017’s A Moment Apart. It was during that time that I got into Odesza and ended up seeing them 4 times between 2017-2019. I was excited in the spring when they announced their latest album, and much like others was wondering if the title hinted at the end of Odesza? After listening though, I can say the title has much more to do with the meaning behind the album than the band.

Each of Odesza’s albums have a solid foundation in their dreamy, indietronica sound but vary slightly. The Last Goodbye is no different. It has that well-known Odesza feel, but with a slightly funkier, edgier sound. I think it’s a bit heavier on the future bass as well. A few of the songs, like “The Last Goodbye,” “Equal,” and “Behind the Sun,” give me Flume vibes, which I’m kind of a huge fan of.

I have to say the album didn’t quite “hit” at first for me, but took a couple replays before I found a song or two that I really liked. “Forgive Me” is my favorite on the new album. It’s an elctropop banger. “Better Now” is another favorite. It feels like it could have fit on A Moment Apart but ended up landing on their new record instead.

Odesza’s comeback this year was highly anticipated. The group recently embarked on a tour in support of the album with drumline in tow. I was able to catch a show last week and was dancing almost the entire time. They’re so fun live and their production was even better than I remembered. I feel as though fans are really digging this album as much as any past Odesza album, so I think it’s worth a listen. You’ll definitely find a song you enjoy, as there are plenty of different sounding songs and energies on the record. As Odesza said in a recent interview, this album definitely isn’t “The Last Goodbye.” It’s “about stepping back in, returning to each other in celebration,” which is exactly the effect it’s having.

Gravity Can’t Hold Us Down

This Friday I’m attending my second ever electronic show. I probably wouldn’t be going to this show if it wasn’t for my friend’s love of electronic music and Odesza (the group we’re seeing) and the little vacation we’re going on. Nevertheless, it’s happening and because of it, I got into the electronic group.

Odesza is comprised of electronic music duo Harrison Mills and Clayton Knight. Mills and Knight met while they were both students at Western Washington University and began making music together as Odesza during their senior year. The band name was made out of an alternate spelling of Mills’ uncle’s ship that sunk.

Odesza’s self-released first album Summer’s Gone was released on September 5, 2012, two months before they played their first show. Their first EP My Friends Never Die was released a year later. In the fall of 2013, the group opened for Pretty Lights and then embarked on their first headlining tour the following year. It was a quick start for Odesza who gained popularity through streaming sites like Soundcloud and Spotify and by word of mouth.

In September 2014, Odesza released their second full length album In Return and played a sold out headlining tour that fall in support of it. The group also began playing music festivals as well beginning with Sasquatch! Music Festival in Gorge, Washington in 2013. They have since gone on to play Coachella, SXSW, Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Firefly, Governor’s Ball, and several others.

This past September Odesza released their third full length album A Moment Apart and announced a world tour in support which began on September 14th in Auckland, New Zealand, after a preview of the new live show in May at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheater. The tour has since made their way into the United States and the album was recently nominated for a Grammy for Best Dance/Electronic Album. The track “A Line of Sight” feat. Wynne and Maisonair was also nominated for a Grammy for Best Dance Recording. The group was previously nominated in 2015 for Best Remixed Recording, Nonclassical for “Say My Name (RAC remix)”.

As electronic artists, Odesza fits in the sub genres of electropop, indietronica, chillwave, and future bass. Their style is sort of like a blend between electronic music, indie music, and pop music filled with synth lines and subtle rises and falls of energy and bass. Their new album has a several collaborations which account for the vocals on their tracks. Their songs create this dreamy, nostalgic type of feeling regardless of whether the tracks have vocals or not though.

I first heard of Odesza in late 2015 when a family member who I hadn’t talked to in years asked if I liked them after I told him I was attending an alt-J concert in the coming month. I told him that I didn’t and he told me how awesome they were. Then we started talking about something else and I never even checked them out. To be fair, at the time I was dealing with a lot of other things so I just kind of forgot about it. I first listened to Odesza in late September-early October of this year, shortly after the new album release. I liked the song “Higher Ground” and added it to my workout/new music playlist on Spotify. It was only about 2 weeks later that my friends and I had planned a trip to New York City and bought tickets to see them in Brooklyn.

Since purchasing tickets, I’ve listened to Odesza a lot more. We received a free copy of the new album with our tickets so when that came in the mail I put the CD in my car for a while. I also recently purchased their sophomore album too and have been binge listening to it.  It’s safe to say that I definitely became a fan. I’m beyond stoked for Friday night. I can’t wait to see what kind of energy they’ll bring by playing in a large scale venue like the Barclays Center, but I’m sure it’ll be epic. I’m also just stoked to see this band play with my friend and to witness her fully in her element as an electronic music fan.

I highly recommend checking out Odesza, but especially this new album. There’s a reason it was nominated for a Grammy. Even after listening to In Return several times, there’s just something special to A Moment Apart that Odesza’s been working towards since their inception. You’re bound to find at least one song you like. It’s that good and it’ll only be a matter of time before Odesza hooks you for real.