This Is Our Jam: Blouse, “Videotapes”

Listening to Blouse's "Videotapes" is a lot like watching drops of food coloring ripple through a glass of water; The colors remain distinct so long as you don't stir the cup. The song's diaphanous, delicate sound blends familiar elements of New Wave and dreampop, with lead singer Charlie Hilton’s breathy vocals floating over layers of muted guitar and a driving '80s pop beat. While Blouse’s sound isn’t breaking boundaries (Cocteau Twins and their acolytes tread these waters long ago), the beauty of “Videotapes” isn’t in its novelty, but its reassuring déjà vu. Like watching a John Hughes VHS for the hundredth time, "Videotapes" is awash with the blissful melodrama of going through the motions. (The Fader)