Before the very first note played, Cindy Lee's Diamond Jubilee transported listeners back in time. When it emerged in March, the sole means to experience it (apart from a YouTube video) was by visiting a GeoCities website – a remnant from the 90s internet, adorned with multicoloured Times New Roman lettering – and downloading the audio files via Mega, the filesharing service cherished by 00s music blogs.

The Musical Tapestry: A Parallel Dimension of 20th-Century Pop

The music itself delved even deeper, venturing sideways into a parallel realm of 20th-century pop. Doo-wop, glam, folk-rock, Nuggets-y psych/garage, Velvet Underground-style art-rock, French chanson, classic soul, 60s girl-group pop, synthwave, and rockabilly all made their presence felt. These diverse musical styles emerged through lo-fi production, as if tainted during their journey from a spiritual realm. 1: Canadian musician Patrick Flegel, formerly of the band Women, had previously released six albums under the name Cindy Lee. However, Diamond Jubilee marked their breakthrough. It received high praise from Pitchfork, scoring their highest review in four years. Excited chatter among fans on Reddit and Rate Your Music also added to its allure. The format of the album added to its charm; the task of finding and unpacking the tracks engaged the listener's attention. And with 32 tracks and 122 minutes, it was clearly a grand and immersive project with significant stakes. 2: Apart from a few contributions from Steven Lind, who also mixed the album, Flegel handled everything – writing and performing. By avoiding interviews and cutting short an accompanying tour, they deepened the mystery. The theatricality of their glamorous drag persona, Cindy Lee, with their falsetto and soulful mid-range singing, added another layer of intrigue. Who was this mysterious artist?

The Brilliance of the Songs

Diamond Jubilee is reminiscent of the hypnagogic pop of the early 2010s, when artists like Ariel Pink, Gary War, Rangers, and others seemed to summon old pop from a long-decayed FM frequency. But unlike some of those songs, which often became garbled by the passage of time, Flegel's tunes remained pristine. These are classics that can rival the works of Burt Bacharach, Lou Reed, Sam Cooke, and numerous other 20th-century greats. 1: The lyrics, filled with mirrors, moonlight, and other symbols rich in romance, harkened back to the miniature love stories that populated mid-century pop. Phrases like "A taste so sweet and just so refined / I've only got one thing on my mind" and "My arms were open / My heart was stolen / When the tears start falling / I just keep rolling" captured the essence of love. Despite the blurring of words due to sound fidelity, the clarity of the sentiments touched the heart directly: "All I've got / Is the truth / All I want / Is you." 2: One of the joys of this vast and varied album is discovering a new favorite song every few days. Everyone's preference will vary, but for me, the pinnacle is the sock-hop groove of If You Hear Me Crying. Flegel-as-Lee held back in the pretty, trilling verses but let loose in the chorus, admitting to their potential paramour, "if you hear me crying / I only wanted to be heard." Then, an electric guitar burst onto the scene, incredibly loud and jarringly high in the mix, playing a euphoric solo. This is how love enters our lives – noisy and unstoppable.

A Departure from Pop's Norm

In a year when pop was dominated by brash iconography and hyper-specific references, all carried by memes and discourse, Cindy Lee's Diamond Jubilee offered a refreshing change. It stood outside that mainstream, presenting a velvet-gloved hand and lifting listeners out of the real. As the album played out on its own timeline, it created a unique musical experience. 1: The album's diversity and quality set it apart. It wasn't just about one style or trend; it encompassed a wide range of musical influences. Each track had its own story to tell, and together they formed a cohesive whole. 2: Cindy Lee's Diamond Jubilee was a testament to the power of music to transport and connect. It took listeners on a journey through time and emotions, leaving a lasting impression. It showed that there is still room for genuine artistry in a world often dominated by superficiality.