When a ‘beep’ or a ‘boop’ is done right, it’s done right. You know what I mean? Familiarly, think “Don’t You Want Me” by The Human League. It’s instantly recognizable. Esoterically, think Littleroot Town’s backing track from Pokémon. At any rate, low, medium and high synthetic sounds — by way of key or chord or pad — placed together in a satisfying sequence is a thing of beauty. Daniel Johnston, unbeknownst to his own brilliance, mastered it. The Gorillaz had it in a chokehold for years. Jack Stauber twisted and molded it into his pretty sonic treasure chest.
In late March, the ever-expanding, Lakewood-based Julian Fulco Perron returned to a mosaic world of “beeps” and “boops” he had already begun construction on in 2020 with his debut album, Dreamland. In My Garden, his 2022 project, saw Perron approach his craft more subtly — it’s calm and steady, filled with loose strings and clanging piano keys that put the mind at ease.
“All the Lights,” however, is a synth-funk, disco-laden gift. Perron’s vocals are crisp on this record — he layers over himself on the tracks back end beautifully, pleading, “All the life that you tried to make, will never equal out to what you gave.” It’s a powerful, reflective thought that hits hard, especially so considering its surroundings — glossy keys, buzzing synthesizers and a sharp combination of guitar chords weaving in and out of a backing beat, all wrapped in a shimmering bow of strings that run alongside his voice.
Perron’s ability to change tone between verse and chorus shows his range. On the opening verse, he’s muffled and composed, laying groundwork, but just a few seconds later, he breaks free, wailing “All the lights are gone” with an addictive intensity. “All the Lights” is another notch in the belt of Perron’s bright genesis, and is a foreshadow of the grooviness that’ll surely be present on his next album.
Perron plays all over town — keep an eye out for upcoming performances, and be sure to give his shop on his website a gander. It’s got all the stuff we love: particularly cassettes and vinyl of his work.
In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) is an ongoing series for 303 Magazine where we talk about the music you may have missed when it initially dropped. Have something you think we missed? Email inquiries for the series to carter.ferryman@303magazine.com.