Following their free experimental project with Miley Cyrus, The Flaming Lips released “Oczy Mlody,” meaning “eyes of the young” in Polish.
It features a heavy electronic influence that bridges the brusqueness that began with “Embryonic” in 2009 and the whimsical tones of “Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz” released in 2015.
“Oczy Mlody” begins with an instrumental title track with complex layered synths and electronic drums that give the song a light, fluttery mood and paves the way for the following track “How??.”
“How??” creates a nostalgic and dreamy world where frontman Wayne Coyne laments “I tried to tell you, but I don’t know how.” Coyne attributes this lyric as the most powerful line of the song because people often struggle to find appropriate words to express something all-encompassing and meaningful. The style of this track as a stream of conscious thought makes it seem like the listener is reliving an old memory.
“There Should Be Unicorns” odes to the album title. Coyne sings about wanting unicorns with purple eyes as if he were a young child trying to plan a birthday party, while not old enough to understand that unicorns don’t exist. His childlike requests are paired with a low-frequency bass beat and contrasted against high-pitched bells.
The following song, “Sunrise (Eyes of the Young)” turns a drastic 180, focusing on the acceptance of death and the beauty of existing. It is almost as if Coyne awoke from a dream about his past and is now looking into the future. However, the chorus is unpolished and it kills the momentum of the verses.
“Nigdy Nie (Never No)” gives us a taste of all the influences on this 12 track album. It begins with a finger snapping hip-hop beat, then Coyne croons over a repeating bass drum and sonar like synth. Soon after, as harsher synths are added, the song lends itself to its electronic counterpart. Overall, it shows listeners what they’re getting themselves into with this wistful and carefree album.
COURTESY OF JAY JANNER
In an interview, Coyne said the track “Listening to the Frogs with Demon Eyes” was influenced by a night when Coyne and his dog listened to frogs croak outside by a creek. This song displays the weakness of this album. Listeners are met with drawn out guitar jangle and drum machines that makes it feel like you’re wading through thick muck that doesn’t add much to the album as a whole. Despite the shining moments of this neo-psychedelic tape, songs like this make it hard to wait without getting bored and turning it off.
The best track on this album is “Castle” which Coyne made after a friend had committed suicide. With a drum line that keeps the song moving forward, it immediately grabs and keeps the attention of listeners. Lyrics like “She was lost in the invisible war, Fighting in the battle, Her love is still buried there in the ruins of the castle,” expose the raw emotion Coyne was feeling at the time. The performance rings genuine as he copes with the awful situation of losing a friend.
As a whole, the fairy tale fantasia vibe of “Oczy Mlody” fits well with a band that created a whole album about karate fighting robots. The hypnotic and whimsical tone is more serious on the tape as if someone turned a children’s book into a drama. While certain parts can leave the listener bored to death, there are a few times where this album definitely shines, making it worth a listen.
The use of synths and other electronic instruments matches their experimental and psychedelic discography. Coyne and company do a great job of creating atmospheric settings. The playful lyricism contrasts well with the moody beats, creating a solid album overall, though it would’ve been nice to see more polished versions of “Listening to the Frogs with Demon Eyes” and “Galaxy I Sink.”
