We've all seen collaborations between differently specialized musicians reap some pretty great creative rewards, and Calm Palm Vapor can be counted among them. Southsiders Pierogi and secretwars have teamed up in a union functionally similar to that of Ben Gibbard and Jimmy Tamborello, the two halves of The Postal Service. With the former manning melodies and the latter on beats, these two have combined efforts to create a full-length of breezy electronic pop, which they describe as "space motown" or "dreamstream."Calm Palm Vapor's sound, however, is hardly derivative of the aforementioned collaborative project. While the Death Cab/Dntel lovechild reached the heights that it did by emphasizing the contrast between its two sources, Pierogi and secretwars blend their respective sounds into something that sounds completely natural. The vocals and guitars don't sound like organic outsiders in a world of glittering, icy machinery; instead, it's often difficult to pick out the analog from the digital on Morning Pacific. Guitars weave effortlessly into synths over the bones of honest-to-God real drums while the vocals cruise on above. On "Everyday We Grow," a pulsing alien growl tangles roots with peppy, off-the-cuff basslines while sheets of guitars and vocals fall translucent in the foreground. For its deep textural medleys, it's one of the most compelling tracks on the record.
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