(Synthpop, Indie Pop) Geoffrey O'Connor - Fan Fiction - 2014, MP3, 320 kbps

Suave synth-pop songsmith Geoffrey O'Connor returns with his second solo album Fan Fiction. Previously known as the frontman for euphoric pop quartet Crayon Fields, Geoffrey stepped out from behind his guitar in 2011 with the seductive noir pop of solo album Vanity Is Forever. Now Fan Fiction sees Geoffrey refine his late-night vision further, exploring obsession, desire and submission in a way that few songwriters dare. His is a musical universe filled with strong, complicated, alluring women, where every bar is dimly lit and every bed recently rumpled. Musically Fan Fiction is more upfront than Vanity Is Forever, its tempos bolder and its beats brighter. The album was partly recorded in London at Studio XXVII (Kindness, Robyn), but mostly at Geoffrey's own Vanity Lair in Melbourne. As usual, Geoffrey plays every instrument, aside from a little piano from Sparkadia's Alexander Burnett, plus backing vocals from longterm collaborator Jessica Venables (Jessica Says), and Gerald Wells (Montero). High energy first single Jacqueline emerged in September 2013, and was quickly followed by a visit to New York's CMJ music conference in October. May saw the release of urbane second single Her Name On Every Tongue (co-written with Burnett), with a beguiling, chameleonic video premiered on Spin.com, in which Geoffrey plays every character from an astronaut to a prison warden.