Crisis converted

As Washed Out proves, there’s nothing like quarter-life ennui to fuel a great album — with pictures!

You know what’s really hard about being a millennial? Absolutely nothing. And that, as Ernest Greene — who just scrapes in as a generational rep by being born in 1982 — explores on Mister Mellow, his new album as Washed Out, brings problems of its own. Because how come, with all this indulgence and entertainment, you can still feel, hmm... kind of bummed out?

Greene’s response to what he describes as the “hyper-stimulated psyche” comes in the form of a halfhour of hazy electronica which dabbles in deep house, trance, jazz, hip hop and more. And while Greene’s experiments in genre-collage might be a reflection of the way in which we digest information in the digital age, he’s also making some old-school demands. Mister Mellow comes with 11 fun, trippy animations that add depth and humour, and seduce you into giving him your full and undivided attention. Which, if you can ignore that twitch in your swiping thumb, you certainly should.

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Mister Mellow (Stones Throw Records) is out now