I find myself staring into both abysses of Odawas’ Reflections of a Pink Laser. The first image, of Earth rising over a martian horizon, is the spatial universe often seen through the telescopic Cerberus lens. Ever-expanding, futuristic, and haunting. The back cover, a more idyllic beach view is serene and still. Just the never-ending waves and a cool breeze moving us toward another minute passing by. But both settings offer contemplative moments of where we are and where we’re going. ROAPL isn’t so noble as to think itself as a new-age bridge between the modern and the future, but it is positioned as a think piece about the duality of pop music. Intertwined to the noises and oddities of outsiders, ROAPL is also indebted to the simplicity of recognizable melodies. Though it feels a little flat on “Paul Klee in Damascus/The Octagon,” much of Michael Tapscott’s ruminations are flattering to the opposing views of pop. “What If Our World is Their Heaven?” is a lofty ideal but somehow 20 minutes can create an engaging and unique piece of pop. “Anamnesia/Home is a Concept,” is the long gaze out at the stars after night has fallen on the beach. Though ROAPL may not trouble itself with being the bridge between here and there, it is positioned —at the very least — as the first beam in an incomplete interstellar pathway.
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