Saturday, August 8, 2009

Cyclic Defrost Magazine

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OBFUSC – Inverted Island 7” vinyl (Static Caravan)

Posted: 08 Aug 2009 12:53 AM PDT

OBFUSC - Inverted Island

Yet another fantastic release this month from "the UK's biggest small label 1999-2009", Static Caravan always seem to get the balance right, whether it be format and artwork, or DIY aesthetic and pristine production. I can't remember the last time I was disappointed by a release from the label, even if its left of centre, it grows on you, and before you know it its another Static Caravan classic.

I've never heard of OBFUSC before, but this has an instant appeal, leaving me wanting more. Very reminiscent of the Boards Of Canada style organic audio sketches, encompassing lush warm electronics that pulse and simmer, creating a warm glow, with great hip hop style beats and acoustic flourishes. This sums up the day mix of “Inverted Island”, it oozes a pastoral warmness.

The flip side has the night mix of “Oceanic Flow”, a trance inducing synth melody, more rolling understated hip hop beats, eastern percussion and shoegaze style guitar washes.

Static Caravan deliver freshness and originality yet again, and OBFUSC get added to the "up and coming" list of bands to listen closely to, check them out at www.staticcaravan.org. Magical.

Wayne Stronell

Tim And Sam’s Tim And The Sam Band With Tim And Sam – Summer Solstice 7” vinyl (Static Caravan)

Posted: 08 Aug 2009 12:49 AM PDT

Tim And Sam's Tim And The Sam Band With Tim And Sam – Summer Solstice

Could this be the most extended, confusing and silly band name ever? Probably, but its on Static Caravan, so that is no deterrent for me. It's a mouthful, so for the purposes of this review they'll be referred to as Tim & Sam… This is the second release from the Manchester based post-folk four piece act, perfectly suited for the Static Caravan label, after the debut EP on Full Of Joy Records.

Tim & Sam ooze enchanted melodies, rustic tones, sweet strings and pulsating drums portray a vibrancy yet pastoral simplicity, with influences from James Yorkston, Shady Bard and Sufjan Stevens. Their psych-folk flourishes and slow burning pastoral sounds have been championed by Elbow's Guy Garvey, and the final track on this EP is actually an Elbow cover version, aptly.

A great EP from one of my favourite labels.

Wayne Stronell

Free Choice and Mental Powers – split 7” vinyl (fifth-column.net)

Posted: 08 Aug 2009 12:38 AM PDT

Free Choice/Mental Powers

Gorgeous printed sleeve for a split 7" vinyl release on fifth-column.net. Not much information about either band on the internet, except for the label’s myspace, but they are Australian!

On side one, Free Choice with “Green Groove” has a pulsing ambient krautrock groove with infectious synth melodies, layers and layers of electronics with a naive 80's sensibility, like a cross between early 4 A.D. and Tangerine Dream. This track really does have an infectious hook that reels you right in.

On side two, Mental Powers with “Appear/Juniour” is a rhythmic acoustic outing that threatens to burst into a post-punk burner, but never breaking from its acoustic backdrop.

A great 7", investigate more at www.fifth-column.net, when there is content on the website…

Wayne Stronell

DJ Kompact – Return Of July 7” vinyl (Sonido Ojo Rojo)

Posted: 08 Aug 2009 12:25 AM PDT

DJ Kompact - Return Of July

The first in a series of 7" vinyl singles from Vienna based DJ and producer Kompact, limited to 500 pieces, containing a digital download card and poster cover (collect ll the posters to create the 180cm x 84cm full size poster).

The a-side has a western theme, rough beats and an MS-20 bassline, it sounds just like Morricone with beats, an older instrumental track from the Kompact vaults. The b-side has a mellow stance, reminding me of mid-nineties MoWax productions.

Rider Shafique and Caroline Scott feature on vocals for the b-side, Rider has a unique mellow and conscious style and rhyme, punctuated by Caroline's sweet voice. Nice and mellow.

Wayne Stronell

David Ahlen – We Sprout in Thy Soil (Compunctio)

Posted: 07 Aug 2009 10:45 PM PDT

ahlen
It is hard not to revel in the paradox of We Sprout in Thy Soil We Sprout in Thy Soil, both at once humbled and uplifted by the sheer beauty of the work. David Arhlen manages to convey the emotional sense of a spiritual world in a stripped down simplicity displaying a raw and unafraid voice. The obvious fragile beauty and wide range of his voice, well wrought guitar phrasing and fastidiously clear full production all create a listening experience that may silence Richard Dawkins, if only momentarily. Often nowadays, with the plethora of 'experimental electronicia' and radical forms of music, it feels like being in the midst of a unending renaissance that it is only with the arising of a voice like Ahlen's to remind us of the existence of other musical forms beyond the encapsulation of technological and structural.

That is often conceived as a thin limb on the tree to step out onto so perhaps another way into the album. To consider it as minimal acoustic guitar with a 'miked-up' resonance, as a warm backdrop to unfold the Hymnal poetics, vehicle for Ahlen's vocal range. The clarity of the recording along with the subject matter may lead to the question of confusion of subject matter and presentation. 'Alter', presented with double bass and supporting vocals is a paean to spiritual content entering and forming the sense of a life, reflected in the precision and skill of the form of the music. 'Ocean' features a Spinet (harpsichord) as focal instrument, beyond Ahlen's voice and the backup choral moments. Such touches as with "Stir our Hearts' with the presence of the Uppsala Cathedral Boys Choir adding backing moves the song construction to a sense of reminiscence that locates back to the pivotal music ages of the Ars Nova and early Renaissance.

I must admit to be fully primed for the content of We Sprout in Thy Soil We Sprout in Thy Soil, other kind souls may view the world with a different light and may see the content as something other than a positive reading. However even if all the words merely described the electronic states of ADSL switches at telephone exchanges Ahlen's singing and compositional skill could not fail in conveying a pure beauty and conviction.

Innerversitysound

at 5:13 PM