Skid Palace is the new project from Peterborough-based solo artist Ryan Kennedy. As the title suggests, Love Is A Broken Record is a mighty despondent experience. Six down-tempo numbers delivering varying levels of angst. Production is modern (read: huge beats, plenty of synths and tons of vocal processing) but Kennedy’s vulnerability cuts through like a lightsaber. This is cinematic music for the broken-hearted.

At times – arrangements are sparse. And tastefully so. “Love At All” pairs Kennedy’s heavily layered (and tormented) vocals with droney synths. Closing track “Actors” adds sad/minimalist guitar-work to an already bleak soundscape.

On the other side of the coin, opener “Wait For You” buzzes and smashes with robot-like authority. Radio-friendly rocker (and personal fav) “Room To Breathe” hits like a cathartic grenade, blasting the listener to bits over and over. Arena-sized power ballad “Hold On” provides a glimmer of hope before the darkness returns. “Love Is A Broken Record” presents itself as a neon-drenched pop/rock experience. But at its core, it’s but a tonic for the dark night of the soul. Highly recommended.

Love Is A Broken Record is available digitally.