Published by James May 22nd, 2006
in Singles, Review and 2005.
“Restless” is a quiet number playing through hushed beats of static and languid vibe pad that softly fills the background. It closely approximates a slow R&B burner but in a more abstract way as if it were being performed in a world of Philip K. Dick’s imagining. It is the perfect fit for a Monday morning when your head is full of cotton and time is suspended as it is the perfect blend of movement and unobtrusiveness.
Judging by this track and a quick listen to the others over at MySpace this will be a release added to my shopping list. You can grab “Restless” over at XLR8R or stream the album over at their label, Statler & Waldorf.
Published by James May 18th, 2006
in Album, Review and 2006.
Loka’s Fire Shepherds is about texture, mood, and atmosphere. Playing alternately like the backing track for dense Jazz-Fusion album and a Seventies action flick, bongo’s, organ, and buzzing double bass never sounded so good. Over at Ninja Tune Loka is billed as creating “a music which at times sounds like Miles Davis jamming with Carl Craig and the Kronos Quartet” and that is an apt description with equal parts of Bitches Brew, More Songs About Food and Revolutionary Art, and Night Prayers providing a swirling mass of psyche-groove.
“Freda Mae” is what Naked City would sound like if they scored porn. Horns and reeds grind and moan like a blue whale getting it on with a box car while the bas line slinks around like the pizza delivery guy with no pants. It is sleazy, slightly greasy, very decadent in a pay by the hour sort of way, but so very good. Not everything here is as wrapped up in sensual skank as the opening track, “Safe Self Tester” is a lush and sonorous number filled with rich orchestra back drop of thick cellos and trilling flutes that blanket a driving bass line.
Loka create what could be best described as Program Music as each song is written to push the listener to conjure images on their own that fit the thematic mood of the moment. “Airfling” is a dreamy piece that rolls and surges on a tightly locked rhythm section with gentle breezes of muted brass floating in from the distance like a far off bird calling out. The focus is less on resolving chords and providing a fully realized theme as it is about evoking the feeling of a certain place and time.
Fire Shepherds is a great album if you are looking for music that does not demand your undivided attention to parse meaning. If you are in the market to let you mind wander and to have a collection of songs that can seep into your surroundings than you can do no better than Loka’s effort. Highly recommended. You can grab it either at eMusic or from Ninja Tune.
Published by James May 12th, 2006
in Album, Review and 2006.
The Shine of Dried Electric Leaves is quite a departure from Cibelle’s last album; it’s loose, exploratory, and often abstract which adds up for a charming but at times a challenging listen. The first half of the album see her stretch herself creatively with meandering piano lines, ambient sounds and textures, and guitar parts that rush in only to pause and consider their surroundings. Cibelle’s voice is the strongest thread providing not only the melody but tempo as well guiding the listener through the pathways of the song.
“Phoenix” opens with hushed electronic chirps and an unconstrained guitar part given greater depth by the inclusion of string and fret noise. The song is rounded out with a throaty string part that buoys Cibelle’s whisper like vocals. It is a quiet and meditative piece, much like the rest of the album, that is most satisfying when listened to with an unencumbered mind. “London, London” quickly turns things about with a delightfully charming duet with Devendra Banhart in a playful and free Samba inspired song.
Cibelle treats sounds and textures as a form of poetry; stripping them back to their essential elements and applying them only in necessity. “Mad Man Song” sees rhythmic textures used to heighten a state of tension and provide a sort of propulsion that could result in resolution. Ultimately, there is no resolution, though, only a sense of the music being taut and an uncertainty when or if it will give way.
Listeners looking for an easy going redux of her self-titled debut album will likely be disappointed but if you possess an open mind and are looking for a heady trip through a work that is informed by Folk, Brazilian, and Electronic musics it is a rewarding journey. As a sophomore effort Cibelle has outdone herself proving that she is not afraid of risks and of expressing her vision. Highly recommended. You can pick up The Shine of Dried Electric Leaves at either eMusic or Amazon.
