Couples Counseling, the dreamy electronic orchestra created by vocalist Virginia Des Las Pozas, submerses listeners in a vibrant sea of synthesizers and sadness. Collaged together are a variety of quirky electronic loops and experimental sound bits – the songs seamlessly sample all sorts of bird chirps and frog croaks and distant conversation – giving a distinct eerie atmosphere to this bedroom pop creation. De Las Pozas juxtaposes her serene, soulful voice, which among other things has been featured as the melodic backing vocals for folk-pop band Mutual Benefit, with the blurring electronica, and the result is unusual and beautiful. It is not so much contrasting as it is complimentary, as the vocals are not only featured centrally but also chopped into pieces and intertwined with the other experimental sounds, or they are filtered through echoing effects, creating a haunting electronic harmony. The imploring lyrics seem to reverberate along with the sounds in the music, cleverly looping around in the same way, almost becoming one with the vocal samples that trail off of them. It is all around a colorful album, with the hypnotizing layers of the music slowly swirling together to create innovative and ethereal pop.
Tapes complete with dreamy pastel insert art are available in limited numbers from Blood Oath Slumber Party, and should be snatched up quickly because Couples Counseling is sure to make all sorts of audiences fall in love while on tour.