After several albums soaked in electronics, Her Space Holiday unplugs and goes for a more organic sound. It appears Marc Bianchi (Her Space Holiday) desires a more genuine type of feel to his records, as each track on Xoxo Panda… is far more acoustic and emotionally-charged. Turns out to be a pretty good idea, actually.
Xoxo Panda & the New Kid Revival is a friendly, inspired album that gives off an art-country vibe. It has an almost cartoonish quality thanks to the loose strumming and lo-fi percussion throughout. "The Heartbreak Moment", "No More Good Ideas", and "The Boys and Girls" are prime examples of that easy-going flow, with the last one including lines like: "We'll fill those tiny rooms with so much love we'll just have to sing".
Above all else, this album shows that Her Space Holiday was never simply a product of fancy electronics. Bianchi has a wonderfully ornate musical talent upon which any level of production can be applied and still shine. Lo-fi, hi-fi, acoustic, or digital: his tunes slide along with an effortless quality. On top of that, Xoxo Panda & the New Kid Revival might just be the most positive album of the entire year.