Dan Deacon’s newest record comes complete with an entire stripping down of his sound. Past albums like America included completely grandiose orchestral movements intertwined within his arrangements. Even with the return to completely solo pieces, Deacon still manages to encompass, direct, and influence emotions through his songs.

Opening with the album’s first released single, “Feel the Lightening”, Deacon allows himself to be unapologetically pop-y, with melodramatic lyrics and cliché, typical beats. Luckily, the album builds off of its first track and displays itself as a journey through Deacon’s mind.

Pure and whimsical excitement dances through each track, even in the arrhythmic and asynchronous seventh track “Take it to the Max” Deacon manages to convey unadulterated anticipation. While the arrangements might have a bit too much layered in them for everyone, some tracks, such as “When I’m Done Dying” and “Sheathed Wings” are impressively catchy, especially the latter with its provocative, looping vocals which layer into the music as if they were another inorganic instrument. Overall, Gliss Riffer is simplified version of Dan Deacon’s creative nature, and yet still manages to be intrinsically complex and pieced together.

By the time it closes with “Steely Blues”, Deacon’s anecdote has revealed itself. He drops the vocals and has completed the slow descent from pop-laden tracks at the opening of his album to self-aware, dreamy conclusion. He isn’t trying to be anything specific for anyone; he’s just trying to place himself in a place he can move forward from.

8/10