For those who need consistency in an album, Beams isn’t for you. For listeners who appreciate a sonic journey that weaves you through upbeat dance electro (accompanied by oh so many handclap sound effects) to more spaced out jams, then Beams is for you. While the Presets cite electropop acts like Pet Shop Boys and New Order as influences, the album only hits hints of these greats a few times. In a lot of ways, Beams would seem to fit well placed alongside contemporary electropopper Mount Sims. Considering both members of the Presets sport music conservatory backgrounds, the textures on the album present more than your average cut-and-paste-some-loops electronic band. In the end, it’s a solid effort from a band who will most likely hone their sound further with future releases.
