Fog, “Trying”

Fitting that in the nine years since Fog’s Ditherer we find Andrew Broder in a sophisticated state. He’s at the bathroom mirror fussing with his crimson power tie, expertly manicured and wedding band visible. It says “we all grow up eventually” and quite possibly, “I’ve become the things I hate.”

Or not. Depending on who you ask there’s between 30 and 85 different ways to tie a tie. Andrew Broder doesn’t know a single one. In the 14 years since the self-titled debut, the Fog tableau of weirdo pop cross faded with experimental turntablism remains untainted. “Trying” percolates in a gurgling low end, while atop it Broder’s signature abstractions—roller skates, cannonballs, microwaves, and storage spaces—have tepid connections to the durability of love. The maturity is there, notably in the structure, but it’s dutifully Fog and a welcomed return.

Fog’s For Good is out April 29 on Totally Gross National Product.