Metric - "Formentera II"
The sequel dropped a whole genre
It’s here! I’ve been talking about this album regularly since seeing the announcement a few months ago. Metric is an act I’ve fallen in love with over the last few years, and last year’s Formentera solidified that thoroughly, placing 20th in my 2022 Top 40. They’re a fun band with a deeply intricate and ambient sound through a mix of Indie Rock, Shoegaze, and New Wave stylings.
This album has been a point of concern for me, though, as there have been strong indications from their statements that the songs included here are leftovers, the same way that Taylor Swift’s Evermore is comprised of tracks that didn’t make the cut for Folklore. The band has referred to Formentera II as a ‘companion album’ and confirmed that these songs were all recorded during the same sessions in which they recorded Formentera. I cannot confirm whether they always intended to make two albums in the same session, but I remain skeptical that that would be the case.
After hearing the album, though, what I can say is that Formentera II definitely has a much different sound than its predecessor. It’s still the same band, but the instrumentation is less deep, and the Shoegaze elements are less prevalent. It’s still a strong Indie Rock effort with a lot of Synth Pop influence. And it definitely sounds better on my second listen (with headphones on) than it did on my first (on a bluetooth speaker).
However, even with the added fidelity of headphones, many of the tracks lack the cohesion and atmosphere that I expect from Metric. Every now and then, it pops through on tracks like “Stone Window” and “Descendants” (which also has strong Dance and electronic elements).
For the most part, though, the album pales, on all fronts, to the usual fare I expect from Metric. And I straight-up just don’t like “Days of Oblivion” or “Go Ahead and Cry”.
It’s still a good listen on its own terms, especially for anybody who enjoys Indie Rock and songs with heavy synth usage, but feels a bit disappointing given the quality I’ve come to expect from them.
Rating: Green