Hooverphonic -- Blue Wonder Power Milk

9/10


Serendipity might be my favorite thing. I assume it is probably a lot of people's favorite thing, even if they don't know what the word means. Some night near the start of the summer of 1999 (my favorite year), I was driving along False River on my way home from work at the lovely New Roads Winn Dixie. I was already pretty happy, looking forward to hanging out with friends, when this song came on the radio.

That voice took me to another planet. When I was feeling like nothing could make me happier, something made me happier. I had the radio set to the right station at just the right moment. Musical serendipity. "This Strange Effect" is found on Hooverphonic's second album, Blue Wonder Power Milk. Every song is a portal to a world much cooler than the one in which you are currently residing. Strings, drum and bass music, spy guitar, atmosphere, it's all pretty much perfect. Even when Geike Arnaert gives the microphone to one of her male bandmates, the songs somehow don't suffer. I want to live in the sound this album creates, and thankfully, for one serendipitous moment, I did.
Overall, Hooverphonic's Blue Wonder Power Milk sounds sort of like a euphoric Portishead, save one detriment: the end of Portishead's albums always ruled. The last couple of Blue Wonder Power Milk's tracks are hazy, as if this insanely cool atmosphere is fading into the ether. That just means it's time to listen again.

It's like $1 on Amazon. What are you doing? Do you hate serendipity, or something? Go buy it! 90's forever!!!

1998 Epic
1. Battersea 3:50
2. One Way Ride 3:22
3. Dictionary 3:32
4. Club Monterpulciano 3:41
5. Eden 3:33
6. Lung 2:44
7. Electro Shock Faders 3:07
8. Out of Tune 3:26
9. This Strange Effect 3:55
10. Renaissance Affair 3:25
11. Tuna 3:48 12. Magenta 4:51
13. Neon 3:06