Yesan Damen's Chronos/Kairos is a beautiful brief burst of well-crafted, sugary pop pleasure with solid arrangements, good production and nice orchestral elements. Comparable to the boppiness and arranging skill of New Pornographers but with a little less bite and a bit more sweetness a la Beulah or any number of twee-ish indie-pop bands.
The album really shines when the lush harmonies and orchestral instruments come to the fore like on tracks like "Osaka" or the fun opener, "Whoa!" . While Yesan Damen lacks the acerbic wit of New Pornographer's Destroyer-penned numbers, they find their harder edges in guitar-driven rockers like "Outer Space" or "Monuments To Ambition".
Fans of indie and orchestral pop will find Yesan Damen a rewarding listen, and by the time the prettiest and most infectious track on the album rolls around, the closing track "Canons of Devotion", many will find themselves hooked. Recommended.
