Whereas Blouse's debut record was a wonderfully bleary synth-pop record, their follow-up, Imperium, ditches the synths for smart, new wave-inspired dream pop that suits the band well. Singer Charlie Hilton's cool, detached voice gives her lyrics a certain intrigue—"are you one of us?" she asks ethereally, like a vampire, on the title track, and a seemingly earnest line like "trust me, I'm the one who loves you" in "Trust Me" reads as though she's manipulative a lover. Musically, the band plays it pretty straight, keeping things simple so as not to distract from the vortex around its hypnotic singer, whose vocals are reminiscent of the late Trish Keenan of Broadcast. As a result, some of Imperium passes by without notice, but when they do grab your attention, on songs like "1000 Years," which feigns country devotion, or the Motels-esque highlight "A Feeling Like This," Blouse create moments you hate to leave.