Truth be told, I really enjoyed Zolof's last EP. It was cute, funny and very, very solid in terms of being a guitar/synth-pop record, especially when you consider the likes of HelloGoodbye have really milked that type of genre. 'The Popsicle' EP showcased the kind of cutesy sound I thought Zolof would probably try and milk for all it's worth, but surprisingly 'Schematics' isn't as sugary sweet as you may expect.
And, on repeat listens anyway, it means that the odd track aside, this doesn't stand out as much as it possibly should. At 10 tracks and less than 30 minutes long, Zolof don't hang around. And while that's a good and a bad thing, I can't help but feel that there aren't enough songs standing out here for the long term. And while you can't sing about pirates and mean old coots forever, the cutesy lyrics are toned down and Rachael Minton's vocal delivery isn't quite as sickly. I guess not playing up to the gimmick should be commended...
Don't get me wrong, this is a fun record and it's a lot better than a lot of the pap around right now. And it sounds nothing like Paramore either, so don't be concerned that this could end up as a Hayley-tastic rip-off. Perhaps my expectations were just a little too high as this is good, but not as good as I hoped for.
