Energy Slime
New Dimensional (Mint)

Traces of the gosling-soft synth-pop present on Jay Arner’s 2013 self-titled debut can be found throughout the musician’s current Energy Slime project with keyboardist Jessica Delisle. But while a relaxed pace befit the earlier platter, the duo’s New Dimensional is a jittery journey fuelled by a couple of Slurpee cups filled with addies and Sour Puss.

“Bustin Up” is a speaker-bleeding salvo of in-the-red synth fuzz and nervous yelps, an early Roxy Music–style glam jam on the topic of work stress. With 10 songs barrelled out in 13 minutes, Energy Slime is taking tips from the Guided by Voices method of tunesmithing, employing a one-and-done approach to most of its melodic riffs. “Gas in a Bag”, which details the plight of a mountain lion uneasily awaiting the onset of lava season, barely cracks the 30-second mark but gleefully glides by on acid-melted power-pop chords, a quick-shifting arrangement, and Arner and Delisle’s theatrical, faux–Brit-accents.

Lesser gems like “Mother Brother Sister Father”, a wet-blanket entry of sullen barbershop harmonies, come and go so quickly they’re easy to forget and become subsumed by the rest of Energy Slime’s gooey goodies. Ultimately, this partnership’s fun night in with a four-track needs to be slurped up.