Album Review: Real Estate’s “In Mind”

By: Connor Faleski

New Jersey’s own Real Estate has just released their new album “In Mind”, and with this
new project comes a cleaner sound that hasn’t been heard on any other album in their
discography. The synths are amazingly light, filling up all empty spaces that the punchy drums,
bass, and refreshingly Mac Demarco-esque guitars left behind. Although the leading track
“Darling” offers a charmingly odd time signature groove that plays like a nice breeze to the face,
the rest of the album cannot sustain that feeling.
The 70s, almost Partridge Family-like, sound stays the same throughout the entirety of
the 44 minute runtime, but after “Stained Glass”, this new, crisper sound cannot hide the fact
that Real Estate is treading the same old ground that they have been for their whole career. The
vocals are flaccid, offering virtually nothing to the tracks, and the songs simply do not get off
the ground. Whatever interesting idea the songs try to establish mean nothing after the first
minute, when you realize that the next two minutes will remain as phlegmatic as that first,
never building to create any form of emotional ride within the track.
With the exception of some great production, a dreamy sound, and some above average
structuring, Real Estate’s “In Mind” is a snooze, never getting above waiting room background
music status, which is a let down in some sense. You can feel that Real Estate is trying to make
something slightly different, but they went as slight as can be with this one.