In their newest album “Pollen,” husband-wife duo Tennis solidify their signature, nostalgic sound and weave together an ’80s-inspired, danceable masterpiece. Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley lean into their ambiguous genre of alt pop/rock, taking on some mixed, instrumental experimentation but carrying through their complex lyricism and atmospheric sound. Their sound reliably persists throughout the album, but rather than becoming tedious, the consistency elevates the album.
The duo’s lyrics are undeniably profound upon close inspection, but they lose to the larger presence of instrumentals throughout the album. Moore’s voice becomes a collection of harmonies, subtly threading through a mixture of synth, piano, guitar riffs and drums. Often, she could sing any lyrics and deliver the same result.
In “Let’s Make a Mistake Tonight,” although lyrics are lost to the melody, the song successfully reads as an intimate, synth-filled pop ballad. The duo pulls together a catchy banger as Moore masterfully sings, “Let’s cruise in the vesper night / Concrete in the headlights / Wheels set in their arc like gods / We’re gonna find something better.” Despite being, on first listen, a relatively simplistic, upbeat declaration of wild promiscuity, the song suggests a deeper subtext, relaying a cityscape background and the intensity of self-abandonment in complex relationships. The effect is apocalyptic, contrasting evocative imagery of ashes, fire and concrete with the song’s bouncy pop melodies.
The album’s success and singularity are largely owed to Tennis’s artistic independence. The couple go to great lengths to maintain the sanctity of their work, developing their albums at sea and sailing for weeks beyond the reach of cell phone signals before recording back in their Colorado home studio under their own label. Their process is meant to distinguish them musically, and despite significant retro influence, they achieve a particularly distinct sound.
Moore’s distinct, feminine voice is key to “Pollen”’s effect, illustrated beautifully by the dulcet melody of “Pollen Song.” The song highlights the softness and subtlety of Moore’s vocals, with eclectic, cheerful instrumentals. The catchy guitar mingles with her melodic, atmospheric voice as she sings, “Don’t know when my body became so fragile / Even a spring rain is too much to handle / And it feels like it’s just the pollen.”
Moore elaborates on the album title’s meaning in an interview with Paste Magazine. “[The album] is about small things with big consequences: a particle, a moment, a choice. It is me in a fragile state; sometimes inhabited freely, sometimes reacted against. It is striving to remain in a moment without slipping into dread. It is about the way I can be undone by a very small thing.”
Despite sounding initially formulaic, the album’s greatest achievement is its effortless flow and consistency, through which Moore and Riley deepen their sound and lyricism. The nine songs are individually potent and when listened to together paint a heartfelt portrait of the couple. “Pollen” remains a testament to Tennis’s collective intelligence and unwavering talent and stands as a joyful amalgamation of their artistic prowess.
