The Answer Is In The Beat

Distant Creatures: Snares In Safe Harbors (self-released, 2017)

November 24, 2017 at 9:27 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment

Former WCBN DJ Chris Matthews sings and plays several instruments in this dream pop quintet based in Virginia. Their music is a lush mixture of electric and acoustic guitars, strings, synths, and vocals which aren’t rendered unintelligible by effects. The songs are generally uptempo and akin to classic indie pop (Sarah Records, et al) rather than zoned-out psych-rock, so that while they certainly explore the possibilities of highly textural arrangements, there’s no shortage of songcraft. The strings add a stroke of elegance to songs like “Unsure” and “In Real Life”. “Low Spirits”, an urgent, driving tune which seems to be about dealing with stress, depression, and the heaviness of life, reappears here after being included on their debut cassingle last year, and it still sounds magnificent. “Faith” is a bit closer to dark post-punk, with a heavier bass guitar sound and pounding drums. “Pause For Epiphany” is a bit more of a perky, playfully offbeat alternative rock song with some haunting synth sounds sprouting out on occasion. “Song For No Name” is a bit darker, more crushing, and more Chelsea Wolfe-like. CD and digital album available on Bandcamp.

Leila Gobi: 2017 (Clermont Music, 2017)

November 24, 2017 at 7:53 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment

Second domestically released album from Malian singer Leila Gobi, with lyrics sung in Songhoy, Tamasheq, and French (on “Les Enfants”). Generally pretty easygoing but still energetic and sophisticated, with basic instrumentation enhanced by electronic beats and synths, sounding polished but still earthy. The songs generally have positive, sometimes celebratory messages — “An Nia” advises to be alert and not waste time, “Tibo Gadeina” and “Eh Khanzam” are both related to the seasons, and “Wai Hidjou” is a wedding song. That as well as “Mi Manda” have nice, trippy half time rhythms, and “Mi Manda” is maybe the most upbeat, dancey song here. An incredibly lovely release which should be enjoyed by all.

Niko Karlsson: Valosta Valoon LP (Feeding Tube Records, 2017)

November 24, 2017 at 7:45 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment

The blurry, kaleidoscopic forest cover art couldn’t be more fitting for this LP of mysterious, primarily acoustic drone created by Finnish psych scene mainstay Niko Karlsson. Very lush and enveloping, but also dark and dusky. The tracks don’t seem too densely constructed, but it’s still hard to tell exactly what’s going on; the droning strings sound like moaning voices, or maybe vice versa. There’s some more straightforward ritualistic folk dirges like “Unen Oma”, and shorter pieces like “Kaste Laske” are imbued with dark magic. Most of the tracks on the second side are more vocal-driven, but the vocals seem more like dazed chanting than lyrics. “Linnoitus” is a bit more of an overwhelming collision of tones and textures; totally bewildering.

Alexander: s/t LP (self-released, 2017)

November 24, 2017 at 6:57 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment

New Haven native David Shapiro (also of psych band Headroom) records solo guitar music as Alexander, and this unassuming white label record with a plain sleeve was presumably designed to look like a mysterious private press release from several decades ago. Put it on and you’ll hear a wide range of expressive fingerpicked acoustic guitar compositions, drawing from American folk and blues traditions, but also with some indie and avant-garde influences evident. Other than the leisurely “Catfish Blues”, the songs are given roman numerals for titles. “II” is the most epic, starting out faster and more hypnotic (but also quite warm and inviting) before ending up with a slower, more fragile section. “III” is short but dreamy, while “V” is sparse and kind of cold and solemn. “VI” takes a while to unfold, but its melody sticks with you, without being forced down your throat. The rest of the record seems to continue in a similar sort of slow, sparse, introspective vein. A nice record which appears to be simple, and doesn’t blast into the outer limits like some of the artist’s other work, but still goes a bit deeper than the average “dude with a guitar” record.

Hy Maya: The Mysticism of Sound & Cosmic Language (Smog Veil, 2017)

November 19, 2017 at 4:17 pm | Posted in Reviews | Leave a comment

Hy Maya was a collective founded by Robert Bensick which included musicians who would later form Pere Ubu. This is a collection of previously unreleased recordings from 1972-3, and it doesn’t seem like an exaggeration to refer to them as Cleveland’s equivalent of Destroy All Monsters. Some of it, particularly “Dance of the Electromagnetic ZZZ (A Space Event In Time)”, is even alien enough to draw comparisons to early Throbbing Gristle (but not quite as abrasive), and there’s even some jazzier excursions in the orbit of Sun Ra, such as “The Fabric of Time & Space”. There’s some heavy, driving rock moments which could be likened to Krautrock, like “General Relativity is Relative”, and there’s also a brief lullaby with rushing water sounds (“Albert’s Lullaby”). A few pieces near the end of the first disc, as well as “A Quantum Mechanic Mambo (Bigfoot)” on the second, are lonely, flute-heavy excursions. “Just One Day (The Illision of Time)” is more of a gentle free-folk song. The sound quality is understandably rough and muddy, but these recordings are a rare glimpse into a previously untouched chapter of avant-rock history.