Eumetris is a musical project begun in 2003 by Hans Lamboo and Bart van Schoonhoven, and on their second studio release (and first since their 2005 debut 412nd) they harken back to the more classic vocal and instrumental styles of the ‘60s, with an abundance of organic instruments cradling tender lyricism about undying love.
In general the record is very relaxed in terms of atmosphere with sharp indie pop production placed at the forefront for much of the tracklist’s duration. I often found myself focusing on this factor more than the songwriting; I was drawn in by the sweet-sounding instrumentation characterising many of the songs, though there were definitely times when it was difficult for the band to keep my attention past the first minute and a half of a given tune.
Stagnant is the best way to describe the lyrics for me: while there are a smorgasbord of solid love-themed tracks on the LP, the lack of differentiation between them led to the listening experience as a whole feeling underdeveloped and undifferentiated – almost like a blur rather than a set of fifteen cohesive yet independent cuts. This inability to accommodate to various styles of writing to convey more than a few standardised emotions renders the record rather dated for me, and it doesn’t have much hope of standing up to the paragons of today’s industry in terms of powerful messages or evolving musical style.
That said, The Midnight Laundrette does secrete a certain charm and the album is not without its high points: the titular and closing track “The Midnight Laundrette” is definitely my favourite, with strangely sensual metaphors and energetic vocals punctuated by snappy drums and a myriad of instruments being utilised throughout the seven-minute song; the rock-influenced “History Repeats” features almost orchestral background vocals that add some indominable texture and flavour, complete with a pretty catchy hook; “I’ll Find a Way” is more varied than the rest when it comes to its dramatic vocal performance and eclectic mix of pop rock and indie instrumentation; and the whimsically-arranged “Who Am I” carries a lot of depth, with Eumetris’ sublime vocal delivery belying the subtle undertones of the guitar-led backing track. There are many other amiable efforts that could be listed, but many of them excelled in one particular aspect while the others were too similar to the other songs to stick out all that much for me.
To conclude, Eumetris’ style may have weathered a little in the face of the expertly-produced addictive earworms dominating today’s charts but their organic and undeniably sentimental approach to music is admirable, even if I would’ve preferred a little more ‘oomph’ with some of the tracks. If you enjoy classic odes to beauty and unrequited love delivered softly and tenderly, you will find what you’re looking for with The Midnight Laundrette; the record is an acquired taste in the climate of the modern music industry, but it’s still worthy of a listen.
The Midnight Laundrette was created by van Schoonhoven and Lamboo by sending songs back and forth constantly during the creative process, as they now live too far away from each other to record together regularly. Friend of the band Rob Smit mixed eight of the fifteen tracks from the album as well as performing all drums, synths and percussion as well as mastering. For more from Eumetris, follow them on Instagram @eumetris.
6/10
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