Signal Delayed by Big Fresh & Palisades: A Quirky Sonic Adventure You Didn’t Know You Needed
Alright, let’s talk about Signal Delayed, the 2016 brainchild of Big Fresh and Palisades. This album is like that friend who shows up uninvited to your party but ends up being the life of it—unexpected, slightly chaotic, but impossible to forget. Falling under the genres of Electronic and Pop with a solid Indie Pop vibe, this US-born gem was released via Not On Label (because apparently labels are overrated). It’s got four tracks total, but don’t let the brevity fool you; these songs pack more punch than a caffeine-fueled squirrel.
First off, we’ve got “Tough Shakes.” Oh man, where do I even start? The track kicks in with this groovy bassline that feels like someone handed a disco ball its own heartbeat. Then comes the synth work—it’s all sparkly and glitchy, like your phone autocorrecting your texts into something way cooler than what you meant to say. What sticks with me most is how effortlessly smooth it feels despite sounding like an alien DJ decided to remix your favorite ‘80s jam. It’s funky without trying too hard, which is honestly rare these days. If “Tough Shakes” were a person, it’d be the guy at the bar who tells terrible jokes but somehow still gets everyone laughing.
Then there’s “Night Driving,” which hits different entirely. Imagine cruising down some neon-lit highway late at night, windows down, existential thoughts swirling around like moths to a streetlamp. That’s this song. The production here is lush yet minimalistic, letting each sound breathe while keeping things mysterious. There’s this one moment—a little vocal echo or maybe just a clever bit of reverb—that gives me goosebumps every time. It’s like catching a glimpse of something beautiful out of the corner of your eye but never quite figuring out what it was. Haunting, dreamy, and oddly comforting, “Night Driving” is basically the auditory equivalent of staring at the stars while questioning all your life choices.
Now, I won’t pretend the other two tracks (“Pretty Thief” and “Atlantis”) don’t deserve love—they absolutely do—but for me, it’s those first and last cuts that really stick. They’re polar opposites in tone, yet they both nail that sweet spot between experimental weirdness and catchy accessibility. And isn’t that what good music should be? Something that challenges you just enough to keep things interesting but doesn’t require a PhD in Sound Theory to enjoy?
So yeah, Signal Delayed might not change your life, but it’ll definitely make your playlist less boring. Plus, it reminds us that sometimes the best stuff comes from artists flying under the radar—or in this case, completely off-label. Honestly, if Big Fresh and Palisades ever decide to drop another collab, I’d queue up faster than people lining up for free donuts. Until then, give this album a spin. Who knows? You might find yourself humming along to “Tough Shakes” while pretending you’re cool enough to pull off night driving vibes.
Oh, and P.S.—if aliens ever invade Earth, I’m playing this album as humanity’s final stand. Because if nothing else, at least we went out with style.
