Album Review

Album Review: Atoms For Peace – AMOK

Similar Artists: Radiohead, Thom Yorke

Genre: Experimental Techno

Label: XL

Ever since Kid A, Thom Yorke has been obsessed with electronic takeover in music. This guy is a true EDM aficionado, and he has been leaning in the direction of going full on techno in different ways through his career. Through his many reincarnations, what has always kept us intrigued is the fact that Thom’s music sounds little-to-nothing like the artists he states as his inspiration. During the Kid A period, his main influences were Warp Records’ flagship acts Aphex Twin and Autechre, but in all seriousness, if his goal was to sound like either of those acts I would have to say he failed. Nowadays, he hangs out with state-of-the-art producers such as Flying Lotus and Four Tet, and although Thom seems to think he is making music of a similar vein, this new release won’t remind you of those artists in the slightest.

This is an artist whose work truly exists beyond influence. Analyzing why an artist is original can drive a critic mad, but I have always felt Thom’s uniqueness is spurred by a factor outside of his wild imagination and occasional mental instability. After years of being Radiohead’s biggest fan, I have become convinced that Thom has a skewed perception of reality that causes the waves and frequencies of music to reach him on an entirely different level. Everyone hears music in a slightly tweaked fashion; but quite simply, Thom must hear music in a much different way than everyone else. This may be the most apparent when he is describing his own music, in which he seems to think is straight up pop rather than anything alternative. I attribute this skewed perception to the cause of his self-image issues in the past, as well as the reason why it can take the band 4+ years to release new material. I’ve gotten a tad bit off topic, but regardless of whatever crises have affected Thom in the past, his love affair with abstract techno has finally come full circle, and he sounds as confident in his surroundings as he ever has been.

It is truly a wonder how the members of Radiohead haven’t cracked under pressure and disbanded countless times by now. Due to the band constantly topping and reinventing themselves for 20 years, each release is marked by exceptionally high expectations. People don’t just want a new Radiohead release to be good, they want it to be their best yet. This makes it easy to understand why Thom would need to occasionally distance himself from his longtime band mates. Being overly serious in the music making process can lead to disastrous effect, so it seems healthy that Thom takes a load off by involving himself in solo/side projects every now and then. Unfortunately for him though, people seem to set the same ridiculously high expectations in whatever environment Thom is in.

Although he has joined with some friends for the making of this album, “Amok” should be seen as “The Eraser pt. 2”. The band name is borrowed from that album, but it certainly isn’t the only thing. There are some borrowed chord sequences which might prompt a passerby to believe he was listening to an Eraser remix album instead of an entirely new set of songs. Similarly, before uniting to become “Atoms for Peace”, the other 4 musicians who took their part in this album, (Joey Waronker, Flea, Mauro Refosco and the indispensible Nigel Godrich) were called forth to create live renditions of tracks from “The Eraser”. Needless to say, this album was birthed into being through the conception of full band arrangements based on “Eraser” compositions. It’s a continuation upon that style for sure, but the expansion in terms of depth and integrity are absolutely appreciated.

Although Amok isn’t a complete reinvention of style from Thom’s previous solo outing, that doesn’t mean there aren’t differences between the two albums. In some ways, Amok is the least Radiohead sounding project Thom has worked on. Gone are what one might call “Radiohead moments”. An example of one of these moments would be the last two minutes of “All I Need” or “Karma Police” where the song branches off unexpectedly and we are greeted to an entirely new musical style. Even The Eraser had moments such as this; albeit on a smaller scale. There are no major chord/tempo changes mid song to claw at you for attention, so those of you who only listen to Radiohead for these sections will not find much enjoyment here (you will probably enjoy Coldplay a whole lot more anyway).

These tracks are indebted to experimental techno as they revolve around key chords that rotate and mesh for the entirety of the song. The highlights are always in the subtleties, so the album will certainly leave a few dry on the first listen or so. Originally, I was even hesitant to call these pieces “songs” due to a meandering flatness that was permeating them, but after some time, they rise off of their surface to form into full bodied compositions. Despite me labeling this as a solo album, each member’s role is audible. While some have complained that this album fails to make use of its musician’s true talents, the music never would have worked with Flea’s slap-tastic bass lines covering the atmospherics. We are seeing a different side to these musicians, and it is what prevents Atoms for Peace from falling into common “supergroup” clichés.

Amok was recorded in a mere 3 day session; Thom and Nigel spent the remaining countless hours analyzing the material and organizing it into compact pieces. Seen as one of the best living producers, this album’s production is certainly befitting to Nigel’s name. Listening to this on a pair of good headphones is an experience not to be missed. Hearing the splices of vocal samples layered between muted bass, gorgeous keyboards and the tinkering of meticulous drum programming is awe-inspiring and calls me back time and time again. Oh yeah, and in case I didn’t mention it, Thom’s voice is excellent here as well. The King of Limbs saw him going down a more challenging, yet assured path with his vocal delivery, and here he travels down a similar trajectory. So this is a good, often great album, but those looking for the same pleasures that a Radiohead album holds will be disappointed, but like I said earlier, maybe those weren’t true fans to begin with…

Track Listing:

1.) Before Your Very Eyes…

2.) Default*

3.) Ingenue*

4.) Dropped

5.) Unless

6.) Stuck Together Pieces

7.) Judge Jury & Executioner*

8.) Reverse Running*

9.) Amok

* – Album Highlight

Album Review: Autre Ne Veut – Anxiety

by Rio Toro

Autre Ne Veut: Anxiety

Score: 9.7/10

Similar Artists: Grimes, Ariel Pink, Prince

Genre: Avant-Pop, R&B

Anonymity has become a bit overused within independent music in the past few years. Lately, it is being used to hype up an artist rather than remark on any truth behind the artist’s personality. Autre Ne Veut, who we now know as Arthur Ashin, has a much more complex and genuine reason for limiting his view within the public eye. He suffers from an anxiety disorder which has been the cause of much of his depression throughout his life, as well as the reason why his music career hadn’t kicked off sooner. Anxieties prevented him from making the overt pop music he had true passion for, and instead he took an easier route by composing ambient new-age music and jingles. On this appropriately titled LP, we are hearing this 30 year old expressing his true talent for the first time, and it turns out he is one of the very few who were born to make pop music.

Ashin’s 2^nd album as Autre Ne Veut and first for “Software” (run by his previous roommate Daniel Lopatin a.k.a Oneohtrix Point Never) is a masterpiece. It has taken me so long to write this review because of how emotionally overcome I am while listening to it. Ultimately cathartic doesn’t even begin to describe the raw purging that is evident in this man’s voice. He presents himself in a manner that is so distinct that the listener is forced to form a polarizing opinion. Depending on what side you come out on, his voice can either sound raucous, serene, overwrought, impeccable or messy. His previous self-titled album was similar in this sense, and albeit one aggravating track that my boyfriend calls “the worst song he has ever heard”, it was fantastic as well; however, on “Anxiety” ANV takes his adventurous style to the extreme, and the product is the most groundbreaking pop album I’ve heard in years.

The most obvious influence here in terms of vocals is Prince (maybe some Whitney Houston and Phil Collins as well), but in context with the production, no one is making music quite like this. Even avant-r&b extraordinaire “How to Dress Well” doesn’t seem comparable to the hyperbole worthy sound that ANV has created within the confines of his bedroom. ANV has more in common with artists who use their music to create new worlds, and represent abstract ideas that only appear in dreams (see similar artists)

ANV’s music explodes like little else I have heard. Opener and second single “Play by Play” is bursting at the seams with its own excitement. Like Dirty Projectors, Autre Ne Veut almost packs too many great ideas into one song. So many complex intricacies are present within the first three minutes that we are unsure if the chorus has arrived; when it finally does arrive, it is so brilliant that it doesn’t stop repeating until the song ends. Second track and first single “Counting” is just as fantastic. The chorus opens with a screeching boar oink that wouldn’t be out of place on a Scott Walker album, then, over a rapid fire arpeggiator Arthur sings /I’m counting on the idea that you’ll stay, I’m counting on the idea that you’ll say it’s alright/ which he states is in relation to his dying grandmother. It sounds like difficult listening on paper, but its execution is so perfect and natural that it will surely garner this artist some of the wide acclaim he deserves. The album is made up of these moments where the music is bordering on being inaccessible, but pulls through by the skin of it’s teeth.

The first two songs set a ridiculously high precedent for the remaining eight, but there are still plenty more in the way of highlights. “Ego Free Sex Free” has a complex multi-part structure, and similar to many songs on the album, the lyrics lead me to believe the song is not actually about the sexiness that the tone invokes. “A Lie” is a beautiful vocoder ballad notable for its acoustic guitar and strings. “Warning” has some of ANV’s best sung verses and includes prog-rock instrumentation. You’ll want to be singing along to all these songs, especially with each song containing multiple climaxes, but a forewarning: it is not as easy as ANV makes it seem.

Final song, “World War” is deserving of the highest honors. I would even say it’s my favorite album closer since “The Suburbs”. Like that album, Anxiety closes in a way that calls us back to its beginning, wherein the album’s progression becomes clear, or in this case, clear-er. The lyrics here are all spur of the moment, and can certainly be confusing in the context of a song, but in terms of how we deal with relationships ANV’s words are profound. In certain life instances where we feel we have uncovered an absolute truth, a phrase will repeat in our head through a loop. These moments found on the opening and closing numbers can be seen as two separate epiphanies experienced during a relationship.

ANV is an inspiration for anyone who ever felt they had a gift for making pop music but wasn’t self-confident enough to ever release any material. Personally, when I am wailing aloud in the shower, I attempt to match the unbridled intensity of one of ANV’s climactic verses. It feels good, it feels invigorating, and it feels incredible to know that artists like this one still exist.

Track Listing:

1.) Play by Play*

2.) Counting*

3.) Promises

4.) Ego Free Sex Free*

5.) A Lie*

6.) Warning

7.) Gonna Die

8.) Don’t Ever Look Back

9.) I Wanna Dance With Somebody

10.) World War*

* – Album Highlight

Album Review: Actress – Silver Cloud EP

by Rio Toro

Actress: Silver cloud EP

Score: 6.8/10

Similar Artists: Terrence Dixon, Autechre

Genre Detroit Techno, Unclassifiable

Darren Cunningham is one of the few geniuses in crafting abstract techno. His last two full lengths, Splazsh and R.I.P have proved to be masterpieces, holding up through hundreds of listens. If you aren’t aware already, Actress crafts sullen, often monotonous (but not in a bad way) grayscale techno with a Detroit edge. However, such a plethora of different names and phrases have been used in attempt to describe his genre that it is better to refer to his style as unclassifiable. His use of jagged edges and bleak tone invoke dark cities of towering skyscrapers and endless subway systems, but in a much different light than Burial. Where Burial’s music uses club culture aesthetics, you would never hear this music in a dance environment unless the owner wanted to get everyone out of the building. These songs represent urban decay rather than urban sprawl.

This 3 track EP is yet another puzzle in Actress’ Discography. “Silver Cloud” is his first release since R.I.P and is in preparation for his next full length “Ghettoville”, which is due out later this year. He certainly hasn’t gotten any more accessible during his time off, as this is without a doubt his most difficult release yet. While Actress’ output could never be called fruitful, Silver Cloud is based on endlessly repeating structures and underlying themes that don’t present themselves for countless listens. It’s hazier and more opaque even than he was on his appropriately titled debut “Hazyville”.

“Voodoo Posse Chronic Illusion” starts with a disgruntled keyboard melody and an ultra lo-fi drum pattern that both seem disabled to the point where they would never be able to carry on for an entire song (no less a 12 minute one). Of course, they manage to, and once the pieces come into correspondence with each other, the song could easily last a whole lot longer. One person in a message board joked that these songs should all go on for at least an hour, joking aside, there is truth in this statement. Once the elegiac harp progression is introduced at the three minute mark, the song enters a state of perpetual continuity. Out of all the tracks here, this is the one you could imagine putting in a loop and listening to for a whole day, almost like a Wolfgang Voigt or William Basinski track.

“Floating in Ecstasy” is more menacing in tone due to its gun cock percussive element and ambience that resembles heavy breathing. Later in the song, a dread induced vocal sample comes into play that seems to be repeating “go away mean zombie”. It’s one of the darkest works in this artist’s discography for sure, and I can’t imagine what sort of schizoid mood I would have to be in to understand its true meaning. Final track, “Silver Cloud Dream Come True” is similarly infuriating. With obsessively repeating drum programming, samples of breaking glass and an ethereal bell chime, Darren creates a mood somewhere between serenity and nothingness, leaning towards the latter.

This release ends up being a particularly murky representative of Actress’ style. The production shows off Darren’s skills as a producer, but we were already aware of his supremacy in craft. All these songs are covered with such a dusty coat of paint that even through repeated listens, it can be difficult to grasp what truly is going on. Through full lengths, Darren Cunningham has been able to convey moods of vibrancy and excitement; it is a cliche, but his past albums have felt like journeys. This EP emits no such feeling, and its destination is ultimately nowhere. Actress is way ahead of the curve in electronic music, but getting to know this release on a personal level feels like a chore.

Track Listing:

1.) Voodoo Posse Chronic Illusion*

2.) Floating in Ecstasy

3.) Silver Cloud Dream Come True

*- Track Highlight

Album Review: Darkstar – News From Nowhere

by Rio Toro

Darkstar: News From Nowhere

Score: 7.7

Similar Artists: Radiohead, Animal Collective, Matthew Dear, John Talabot, Sigur Ros

Genre: Experimental Pop

When I first heard Darkstar’s single “Aidy’s Girl Is a Computer” in 2009, it immediately became one of my favorite tracks from the unstoppable Hyperdub label. The glitchy robotic vocal samples and mutilated synth chords (which predetermined my obsession with co-Londoner James Blake), stood out as unique and intelligent compared to other so-called dubstep acts. I hesitate to say this group ever was dubstep, as within a few years they have progressed their sound to a point where calling them dub-anything would be absurd. Although I sure wouldn’t have minded it, this was a band that surely didn’t want to follow the success of their “Aidy’s Girl” single with another like minded track.

For their debut album “North”, which was released in 2010, the duo became a trio with vocalist James Buttery added to the mix. They focused on composing gloomy synth pop and learned to embrace more traditional pop song structures. It turned out they were damned good at it too, and it proved the group to be multi-talented. However, I kept waiting for them to jump off the deep end, so to speak, as they were absolutely capable of chartering uncovered terrain.

It seems my prayers have been answered because on “News from Nowhere”, their first album for Warp Records, Darkstar have dived in head first. The album is an eclectic overhaul to their previous sound that calls to mind some of the world’s best experimental pop acts. It now seems clear that “North” was a transitional album for this behemoth of sensory overload. Through the album you will be reminded of landmark acts such as Radiohead and Animal Collective, but the closest peer is pop-deconstructivist Matthew Dear, who also adapts new musical styles with the changes in the direction of the wind.

For a hint of the band’s eclecticism, the album goes from the blissfully ambient to the sublimely chill, to the paranoidly eccentric. “-“ is a take on King of Limbs era Radiohead and “A Day’s Pay for a Day’s Work”, has a chorus that is straight up Beach Boys in its a-capella vocal harmony. It’s all a technical marvel, especially on instances where the foreground pushes and pulls to cause tension before imploding into bits of crystalline fragments.

I previously mentioned Matthew Dear as a very like minded artist, and the match certainly fits. That artists’ last album ended with “Temptation”, which was a track that took his songwriting abilities to an unforeseen peak. The last track on this album, “Hold Me Down”, is similar in the fresh escapist pleasure in invokes. It is the perfect album closer that signifies there is much more to be heard from this act.

However, it did take me a while to see this album’s true potential, and it has some flaws that prevent it from being truly exceptional. For one, the vocals are superb in craft, but we hear far too much of them, and what James Buttery is singing about never truly shines through. On “Amplified Ease” I actually told him to stop singing (as if he could hear me). The top layers in general in this music are far less interesting than what lies beneath. Some of the best moments on the record are when the music has a chance to breathe, and we can hear just how much exquisite detail has been put into the production. The tracks where the vocals are used as an instrument, such as the final two, tend to be the most effective. Darkstar have the ability to wisk us away to far away worlds, but they often make it hard for us to get there as we have to sift through a layer of muck.

This is an album disguised as something it is not, or rather, it is disguised as something it is much more than. After a while, it is not the songs themselves that continue to grab our attention, but little snippets that are scattered throughout them. This is fine by me, because I have surely garnered a fair amount of pleasure from this album, but it makes me wonder if I would prefer an album from them that was entirely made up of the subtleties I adore finding in the crevices. For now, I am certainly on my toes as to what they will do next; I always seem to be with Darkstar.

Track Listing:

1.)Light Body Clock Starter

2.) Timeaway

3.) Armonica

4.) –

5.) A Day’s Pay for a Day’s Work

6.) Young Heart’s

7.) Amplified Ease

8.) You Don’t Need a Weatherman

9.) Bed Music – North View

10.) Hold Me Down

Album Review: Grouper – The Man Who Died in his Boat

by Rio Toro

Grouper: The Man Who Died In His Boat

Score: 7.9/10

Similar Artists: Tiny Vipers, Mirroring

Genre: ambient, singer-songwriter

The best way to describe Liz Harris’ output as Grouper would be to reference one of her lyrics, in which she claims to be an “Alien observer in a world that isn’t mine”. This disconnect of environment comes up often in the music of Grouper, and is harrowing in its evocation of aloneness. A certain humane element is lacking in the music as the voices we hear are all lost ones, who are desperately seeking attachment to a like being. She creates this often horrifying mood through the tone of her voice, the strum of her guitar, effects pedals and little else. The minimalistic aesthetic gives the songs a raw feel that enhances the believability of the artist’s sorrowful anguish. There is no anger within these songs, as Liz Harris’ cry is not one of exasperation, but one of remorseful contemplation. Through her work, Liz Harris recollects her tainted childhood memories, and the crucial moments which shaped her views upon the world.

“The Man Who Died in His Boat”, Grouper’s 8^th full length, was inspired by an event experienced by Liz at a young age where she peered inside a boat that washed up near her home. She found it brimming with trinkets and belongings, yet the owner had vanished never to reappear. Although the abandonment in this case was of an inanimate object, it is the kind of experience that becomes trapped within the confines of our conscious mind, and allows for endless provocation. Much like this memory, the subject matter in Grouper’s music is all highly personal, and much of the lyrics are un-decodable in meaning. Liz has stated in interviews of her fear towards enabling the listener to grasp too much of a song’s identity, and in turn revealing too much of her own. This is the reason her voice is so hidden on the majority of her releases. Despite her enigmatic personality, it can be discerned that these releases represent mournful memoirs from her life.

This album is a return to the style developed on her revelatory 2008 LP, “Dragging a Dead Deer up a Hill”. The comparisons are not in album title alone as this is, for better or for worse, a carbon copy of that album. Both albums were actually written and recorded during the same time period, but Liz has waited all these years to actually release it; perhaps in fear of it being too personal. These are her, for lack of a better word, folk records. Unlike some of Grouper’s other releases, of which there are many, these could actually be considered songs. With the album’s prominent use of acoustic guitar, Liz walks the line of being called a singer songwriter at certain moments.

There is certainly a new found accessibility that has been issued to her music in the last few years and “The Man Who Died…” is most representative of this. Up until now, “Heavy Water/I’d Rather Be Sleeping” on her previously mentioned 2008 album, was the closest we got to peering inside Liz’s heart. While it could be argued that none of the songs here match the sheer beauty of that song, many follow it in theme. “Towers” and “Living Room” both stand out in a way that is unusual for an artist who is so non-attention seeking, and there are even some bright spots to be found if you look deep enough. Thankfully, the atmosphere is not entirely opaque, and there is the occasional glimmer of hope. Whether it stems from a brighter guitar chord or a tenderly sung lyric, we are hinted at some ray of light that is guiding the protagonist towards a nestled home.

Listening to Grouper for hours on end becomes a heartache. Grouper’s music had never really sunk in with me before, but after now challenging myself with dissecting one of her albums I realize it is because I didn’t let it. The music can become disturbing in its subtleties to the point where listening to it on repeat is painful. This is especially true when going to sleep or other reflective moments in the day. She has crafted a sound that is audacious, but not always listenable. So in terms of emotional effectiveness this album gets top honors, but personally I think I am going to let it collect some dust on the shelf for a while, and save it for a day where I am feeling particularly masochistic.

Track Listing:

1.) 6

2.) Vital*

3.) Cloud in Places

4.) Being her Shadow

5.) Cover the Long Way

6.) Difference (Voices)

7.) Vanishing Point

8.) The Man Who Died In His Boat*

9.) Towers*

10.) STS

11.) Living Room*

* – Album Highlight

Album Review: Four Tet – 0181

by Rio Toro

Four Tet: 0181

Score: 6.0/10

Similar Artists: Bibio, Mum, Jon Hopkins

Genre: Folktronica, Trip-Hop, 2-Step

When first hearing that Four Tet had released a free to download album, and seeing the album consisted of one 38 minute track, I was under the impression that “0181” was one of the artist’s live DJ sets similar to that of his live Fabric mix (perhaps from one of his nights at The Boiler Room). As it turns out, this is a rarities/b-sides collection from tracks made around the time of Dialogue and Pause; Kieran’s first two albums as Four Tet. Those two albums, dating from 1999 to 2001 respectively, remain excellent representations of electronic music at the turn of the millennia, and should definitely be checked out if you only started following Four Tet after his sorta breakout album “Rounds” in 2003. This was a particularly crucial time period for the artist as his focus was shifted from his fading post-rock band “Fridge” to working on solo productions which turned out to be much more representative of his talent.

In comparison to his first two LP’s though, 0181 is less engaging and less than essential, standing more as an easy listening experience to play a few times and then forget about. Then again, it is a very generous offering for Kieran to be releasing this album completely free of charge, so if you have enjoyed his material in the past, you will want to hit the download button anyway; it just might not dominate memory on your iPod the way his other albums surely do.

Most of this “new” material could be lumped into the Folktronica genre which Kieran has moved passed with 2010’s mesmerizing “There is Love in You” and last year’s ultra modern single collection “Pink”. I say “most” because variety exists through traces of cool jazz, trip hop, robotic funk and 2-step. Describing this music as traces or sketches would be accurate because despite Kieran’s decision to release this as 1 long track, this is not a continuously flowing piece. There are pauses, and some sections feel unfinished, which gives an abrupt feeling to the music. This disjointedness clashes with the lively production to leave us with an album that lacks the artist’s trademark personality. However, the production work itself is still impressive, and certainly has aged gracefully in the often rapidly moving genre of electronica. One particularly memorable section samples bird chirps and softly toned guitars to delightful effect; another casts a piano interlude that recalls Brian Eno’s early ambient works. Every so often a section appears that sounds unique and not so easily comparable to his other work, but these sections never last long enough to leave an impression. If nothing else, this is a great reminder of how sleek Four Tet’s productions were so early on, but it could have been a showcase for how much untapped potential was left for future releases.

While this is an enjoyable album to listen to, in the end it leaves me wanting to revisit Four Tet’s other, more focused releases. Still, this doesn’t hurt his reputation in any way; he did release this for free after all. I applaud Kieran for being so incredible to his fans. I certainly remain a devoted one.

Track Listing:

1.) 0181

Album Review: My Bloody Valentine – M B V

by Rio Toro

My Bloody Valentine: M B V

Score: 10/10

Similar Artists: Slowdive, Ride, Cocteau Twins

Genre: Shoegaze, Dream Pop

Ah, I remember when the last My Bloody Valentine album came out; those were the good ol’ days. I might have only been an infant of 1 year and a few months at the time, but the roaring guitars completely stood out from the other albums my mom used as lullaby music. Ever since then, I, along with countless other fans have been eagerly awaiting the band’s follow up. Decade after decade passed and little to no news arose; although we still waited, most of us knew the sad truth that there simply wasn’t going to be any more material from the band. Well, it turns out that truth doesn’t really exist, as the new MBV album has just been released. As exciting as it is to know that dreams do come true, even after listening on heavy repeat for the last few days, it feels awfully strange to be writing this review. Despite the recent appearance of every other band from the 90’s reuniting to either put out a new record or roll around the country in a cash grabbing tour, this event seems bewildering, and similar to the music in question, dream like. The best comparison to this event would be the 44 year wait for The Beach Boy’s Smile sessions release, but even that was never actually completed. Now it would seem the only thing I have left to wish for is a new Neutral Milk Hotel record.

So the big question everyone seems to want to know the answer to is, “How does M B V compare to its highly lauded predecessor?” Let me talk about that. That album was known for its unexplainable production, restrictive use of non-guitar instruments, breathy vocals (often inaudible) and an ocean’s length of challenging tremoloed guitar waves. Well, this album has all of those things, and as it turns out, it has a whole lot more as well; so the question in hand should actually be “has Loveless been surpassed?”

This new album title, “M B V”, splits the band’s name into 3 letters with a space in between each. This seems to be in relation to the three distinct sections of the album, (of 3 songs each). The end of each section even has a few seconds of rest to symbolize the changing direction. Because of this, the album can even be taken as a grouping of EP’s the band has deemed up to its standards. Those standards in question are exceedingly high ones, but this release is proof that these individuals are the same group of perfectionists they were in the early 90’s.

The first of these sections is best described as a continuation of the Loveless style. The sounds, textures and songwriting are arguably more accomplished than they were before. We enter with “She Found Now”, a particularly majestic song that keeps things slow moving, yet tense due to the jagged, storm-brewing undercurrents. “Only Tomorrow”, brings on the band’s sorely missed crackling guitar fuzz. Major chords are introduced ¾ through to remind us of how the band excels at combining the accessible with the non-accessible.

The second section opens with “Is This and Yes”, which is an electronic ambient piece led by bright organ drones, the light thumping of a drum, and Bilinda Butcher’s tenderly sung vocals (which are featured prominently through these 3 tracks). It is a curious track that brings to mind select pieces from Angelo Badalamenti’s “Twin Peaks” soundtrack. “If I Am” and “New You” are the most accessible moments on the record, the latter of which throw us into a guitar bass shuffle and ends with beautiful vocal harmonizing from Bilinda.

The last section is the loudest, fastest and least comparable to anything else in the group’s discography (or anyone’s discography for that matter). “In Another Way” is an achievement in its use of superbly warped guitar licks, and a keyboard that sees the band at their most ethereal. “Nothing is” is three and a half minutes of punishingly repeating guitar and drums, but it proves so hypnotic that the word “repetitive” never comes to mind. Final song “Wonder 2” is another out there track that I won’t embarrass myself by trying to put into words….

Of course… none of my words have any relation to what this music sounds like. The band’s indescribability is how they have managed to never falter in turning up repeatedly in day to day conversation. The time off has proved this laughably unprolific band to be a true one-of-a-kind act. MBV’s followers have had 21 years to make an album that sounds like Loveless and nothing has come close. So here we are, listening to this unexpected new release, and all I can think is “I don’t need Loveless anymore.”

Track Listing:

1.) She Found Now*

2.) Only Tomorrow*

3.) Who Sees You

4.) Is This and Yes

5.) If I am

6.) New You*

7.) In Another Way*

8.) Nothing is

9.) Wonder 2*

* – Album Highlight

Album Review: Toro Y Moi – Anything In Return

by Rio Toro

Toro y Moi Anything in Return

Score 7.5/10

Similar Artists: Daft Punk, J Dilla, Caribou, Hot Chip, How to Dress Well, Miguel

Genre: Pop, Bubblegum, R&B, Hip Hop, Funk, Chillwave, Disco, House, Trance, Soul

As unprofessional as it may sound from a critical standpoint, I really tried to not like this album. I tried to dismiss the infectious bubblegum pop songcraft and titillating synths. I tried to find fault in the high pitched teenage vocals which are used unflinchingly in nearly every track. I was originally tempted to give this a low(er) score because of how corny and sour tasting the tracks can be, but if I’m being honest, through all of these critical thoughts, in the back of my mind I was thinking about how I couldn’t wait to play this music at a party. With mind blowing production and a plentiful amount of singles, this is a release you will want to test out in large groups at preferably spacious arenas. While previous full lengths “Causers of This” and “Underneath the Pine” may have been more visionary, this is more impressive, ambitious and massive.

With 3^rd album, “Anything in Return”, Chaz Bundwick has reestablished himself as a bona-fide pop star comparable to contemporary R&B acts “Miguel” and “The-Dream”. His voice has never sounded this spot-on and confident. One could imagine hearing many of these tracks on the radio, which couldn’t be said about Toro y Moi’s bedroom-leaning previous work. This new found radio-friendly style may cause some detractors, but will undoubtedly gain him more fans than he will lose. Much like Daft Punk’s move from Homework to Discovery, Toro y Moi is on his way from being an indie producer to a sold-out stadium act.

Chaz Bundwick has never quite fit in with his peers of the so-called “Chillwave” micro genre (a tag which he of course hates, despite the fact that he is known as one of its progenitors). He is too disco to be compared to Panda Bear, too hi-fi to be compared with Neon Indian, and way too serious and non self parodical to be compared to Ariel Pink. Although on first listen one might feel that Chaz is “having a laugh” when a track’s influences span five decades worth of pop music, you will soon realize there is no irony. This is both a positive and a negative, for it is what makes Toro y Moi original as well as why the music can be so off putting.

The album doesn’t quite have filler, but the first four tracks pretty much sum up the variety and breadth of influences offered throughout. The first of these, “Harm in Change”, contains shimmering piano chords reminiscent of something off of a “How to Dress Well” LP. First single, “Say That” is brilliant funk pop that exists as the album’s danciest moment. “So Many Details” is a few shades darker, and although its rhythms are not nearly as avant as its creator believes they are, it is still a welcome and memorable track. “Rose Quartz” mixes an assortment of perfectly placed vocal samples with a steady drum pulse and trance synths. If these first tracks are deemed the most exciting, the remaining nine are comparatively chill (save the emotional bombast of the last two).

So it turns out that I do like this album. Perhaps it is a testament to its artist’s supreme confidence that “Anything In Return” can exist outside its noticeable flaws and be seen as a perfect party record. When I listen on in the future, I’m not going to be thinking about what this album doesn’t have, I’ll be too busy enjoying it as the complete statement it is.

Track Listing:

1.) Harm In Change*

2.) Say That*

3.) So Many Details

4.) Rose Quartz*

5.) Touch

6.) Cola

7.) Studies

8.) High Living

9.) Grown up Calls

10.) Cake

11.) Day One

12.) Never Matter*

13.) How’s it Wrong*

* – Album Highlight

Album Review: Mountains – Centralia

by Rio Toro

Mountains: Centralia

Score: 8.5/10

Similar Artists: Emeralds, Tangerine Dream, Tim Hecker, Fennesz

Genre: Kosmiche, Space-Rock, Experimental Ambient

A first for my album reviews, I gave this a go with neither listening to any of “Mountains” previous work, nor knowing what style of music they played. My reasoning behind this was for the sake of removing preconceptions from the music, and allowing myself a clean slate in which to hear it. For some reason, I was expecting “Centralia” to be either “Godspeed” post-rock or “Crystal Castles” arcady synth pop. I found out that I had much more work cut out for me when it turned out that “Mountains” are more indebted to the Kosmiche of “Tangerine Dream”, or more recently, the now defunct “Emeralds”.

Brendan Anderegg and Koen Holtkamp of “Mountains” build their sound through the use of insurmountable synths/guitar. The Brooklyn based band creates effervescent soundscapes with a deeply textured, ever-changing electronic palette. While many spacey synth/guitar duos have been known for impromptu, half improvisational affairs, “Mountains” stand out (much like Julia Holter’s work) because it is organized and flows naturally from one theme to the next. Fear not, for this does not mean they don’t delve into the trippy, kaleidoscopic or hallucinatory; terms you would certainly use to describe the impeccable, 20 minute long centerpiece “Propeller”. The scene that “Mountains” are a part of is a cluttered one to say the least, but because of the fastidiousness that went into the production work, “Centralia” stands out among the band’s peers.

Centralia’s beauty is shown off quickly on 11 minute opener “Sand”. The heavy, stylized production incorporates whirring synths and a zoned out keyboard refrain. Near the end of the piece, the elements are washed out by swelling orchestral strings. These strings seem particularly demanding of one’s attention for how rarely they are used to such delirious affect in music of this variety. The album progresses to include other, surprising, instrumental forays, such as the arpeggiated acoustic guitar on “Identical ship” or “Tilt”, and the huge, feedback laden, black metal guitar chords on “Liana”. “Living Lens” ends the spaced out journey with a slice of delectable ambient wash. Highlights are abundant, so picking apart the album by playing tracks separately or out of order is not recommended.

It is easy for an artist to become engulfed in the random when dealing with music this massive, but everything on this album sounds necessary. There are no cacophonous yowls or overly drenched atmospherics. If there ever was a veil to curtain the talent of these two artists, it is surely pulled away on “Centralia”, and my god have they got some!

Track Listing:

1.) Sand*

2.) Identical Ship

3.) Circular C

4.) Tilt

5.) Propeller*

6.) Liana*

7.) Living Lens

* – Album Highlight

Album Review: Pantha Du Prince & The Bell Laboratory – Elements of Light

by Rio Toro

Pantha Du Prince & the Bell Laboratory – Elements of Light

Score – 8.0/10

Similar artists – Voices From The Lake, Ricardo Villalobos

Genre – Minimal Techno, Ambient Techno, Meditative

I first listened to “Elements of Light” while driving to work during the wee morning hours after an unexpected snowstorm. Gazing at the newly whitened landscape as I rolled along the trafficless highway enacted a serene, glacial light upon the music. In essence, the music was perfected by this environment, and I was soothed into a state of transcendental bliss. I have listened to the music in a variety of settings in an attempt to rekindle my original impression of earthly tranquility, but despite my efforts, I have been unable to reach that same apex of enlightenment.

Regardless of environment, Pantha Du Prince’s fourth LP remains a technically complex, totally immersive headphone listen. While less showy than Black Noise, this is a leap forward for Pantha. “Elements of Light” consists 5 continuously flowing tracks, each largely composed with an assortment of bells. The main draw of the record is how Pantha does so much with this type of instrument, which has seemingly unlimited potential in his hands. There are other instruments as well, but all are second to the ting’s and tang’s of the bells. Pantha’s new, extended pseudonym (& the Bell Laboratory) is an aptly titled one, as it is easy to imagine Pantha composing this material in the heart of a giant clock tower, surrounded by an array of shiny percussive equipment.

The album opens with particularly ethereal bells tingling away in unison. Empty space is abundant, and there is little to remind us of the Pantha from previous outings. The sounds grow busier with each minute, but it is not until the 8 minute mark that a kick drum is introduced and we are given a hint towards listening to anything pertaining to techno music. The album continues to pick up plenty of steam throughout the 12 minute “Particle”, and although you will certainly be tapping your foot, it is not what one could consider dance fare. Pantha’s music has always been the kind to make be jiggle, and there are certainly moments here that feature Pantha’s signature bass and groove, but the shifting structure and emphasis on experimentation make this a home listening experience rather than something you would want to play at a party.

The momentum simmers down at the start of “Spectral Split”, the album’s penultimate, 17 minute track. The constantly changing bell patterns that build to the album’s climax make me gleefully aroused every time. Quite paradoxically, the last 10 minutes of Spectral Split are more exciting than any techno track I’ve heard in months, but are simultaneously lamentable in their melancholic tone. The Final track, “Quantum”, is blissful lullaby-esque ambience that concludes the album on a contemplative note. The last 40 seconds of the album are dead silent, giving the listener time to gather his/her thoughts and return to the real world before removing the headphones.

At the beginning of this review I stated that the album never rewarded me as much as it did on my introductory listen; this is true only in the sense of a musical experience. Like all good albums, “Elements of Light” offers something new and rewarding with each listen. At ¾ of an hour and excellently paced, when compared to Black Noise’s hour + running time, Elements of Light flies by. The album invokes the same meditative full-body experience that last year’s beloved “Voices from the Lake” LP did, but it does so in half the time. The fact that this album is both easy to listen to and engrossing are the reasons I feel confident I will revisit it commonly throughout the year.

Track listing:

Wave

Particle*

Photon

Spectral Split*

Quantum

* – Album Highlight

Album Review

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