ALBUM REVIEW: WTC 9/11 by Steve Reich & Kronos Quartet

This review originally appeared on musicOMH.

Steve Reich/Kronos Quartet - WTC 9/11
(Nonesuch) UK release date: 5 September 2011
4 / 5

Much of the publicity leading up to the release of Steve Reich’s piece to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center has focussed on the cover art, a surprisingly lurid, artificially manipulated shot of the incident unfolding. It doesn’t particularly add a great deal to the release and has possibly even contributed to shifting the focus away from the composition itself, a brief three movement piece for string quartet, played here by the Kronos Quartet.

It begins in uncomfortable style as violins play out a replica of the sound of a disconnected telephone, an incorporation of Reich’s personal experience on the day which was dominated by lengthy phonecalls to his Manhattan-based son. This is soon joined by distorted, muffled recorded dialogue of individuals caught up in the attack, truncated and repeated to unsettling effect. Musically it is a difficult, jarring listen, although unquestionably effective in portraying the chaos and claustrophobia of the day.

The second movement again incorporates looped witness testimony, over anxious, jittery string arrangements. Musically it does reference concepts present within Reich’s other compositions, namely minimalism and the use of repetition, although understandably has much more tension running through it. In many ways it is a small, abstract historical document in itself in its use of verbal statements. In comparison to his other ‘historical piece’ Different Trains (which focused on the Holocaust) it is much more bruising and direct, having no real room for subtlety or nuance.

The third movement sees the appearance of a drifting vocal melody that adds a small measure of comfort. On the whole however, the piece never really exhibits a sense of mourning or loss, particularly unusual given the widespread inclusion of human voices throughout the piece. Instead it seems much more concerned with documenting the shock, panic and fear inspired by the events. Whatever the angle of approach, it is a stark and fascinating addition to his oeuvre.

The additional two pieces on the album are more recognisably Reichian in nature. His 2009 Mallet Quartet, scored for two marimbas and two vibraphones, features the structural complexity and shifting rhythms usually associated with Reich, the lustrous, glossy sonorities occupying similar territory to his seminal Music For 18 Musicians. The final piece on the album, Dance Patterns, has a broader sound, xylophones and vibraphone providing free-flowing pulses of sound whilst pianos add a reflective, pensive quality. The greater space afforded between the piano chords towards end lends the piece a certain grandeur.

Taken together, the respective pieces further confirm Reich’s elevated status in the world of contemporary classical music as a prolific and consistent creative force. This album shows him to still be in thrall to the possibilities of composition and unafraid of tackling the bigger issues it can so powerfully address.

ALBUM REVIEW: Endless Now by Male Bonding

This review originally appeared on musicOMH.

Male Bonding - Endless Now

(Sub Pop) UK release date: 29 August 2011

3.5 / 5

Endless Now sees east London trio Male Bonding return with their second album for the esteemed Sub Pop label. Their relationship with Sub Pop continues to be a natural and harmonious affair and provides confirmation that their sound has not undergone any radical change from that showcased on their debut album Nothing Hurts. Amongst the buzzing guitars however it is possible to detect small signs of improvement and fine-tuning, whilst it also boasts a greater melodic strength than its predecessor.

On the surface there is not a great deal to distinguish each track, an admission that may initially be a cause for concern. Their grungy American guitar sound is still indebted to bands such as Sebadoh, Hüsker Dü and The Descendents, although here it has been translated into a more overtly energised form of power pop that pushes them closer to bands such as Weezer. Essentially, what we get is a rapid succession of (mostly) sub-three minute blasts of exuberant, fuzzy guitars. It is all over in a pleasingly concise 37 minutes.

Tame The Sun is a strong candidate for an opening single, all jolts of guitar and powerful drum patterns, and is an accurate précis of what is to follow. Seems To Notice Now is another early hook-laden highlight, a strong melody residing under the barrage of guitars. Bones offers the first sign of something slightly different, tight percussion and driving guitars soon abetted by some dreamy, shoegazey vocals, which are at times reminiscent of early Ride. Indeed, a hazy exterior sheen is cast over much of Endless Now.

Elsewhere, a similar high standard prevails. Before It’s Gone features frontman John Arthur Webb delivering his disaffected vocals with a mild sneer while What’s That Scene sees their DIY ethic allied to some soaring melodies. Likewise, Channelling Your Fears has more choppy riffs set against a flurry of drumming and Mysteries Complete manages to be simultaneously both buoyant and lurching. Combined, they point to an improbable, nascent revival of early 1990s indie rock. The Saddle is unique in that both the pace and volume noticeably drop. While it shows a different facet to their sound, it equally proves this is not where the band’s real strength lies.

The time in between the release of their two albums has seen new bands such as Yuck and Veronica Falls appear, traversing similar musical ground. This may just be an indicator of how fast-paced, fertile and prolific the current music scene is but there is an underlying feeling that for their next album Male Bonding may benefit from looking further afield to expand and develop their sound. For how long they will be able to continue releasing album after album of adrenalin-powered, guitar-driven indie-rock may be up for debate. But for now however, such concerns seem premature and a little insignificant. A far better and more worthwhile proposition is to simply allow yourself to be swept along by the ensuing wave of energy and excitement that their music creates.

ALBUM REVIEW: Cannibal Courtship by Dengue Fever

This review originally appeared on musicOMH.

Dengue Fever - Cannibal Courtship

(Concord) UK release date: 6 June 2011

3 / 5

Cannibal Courtship sees Cambodian/American rockers Dengue Fever return with their first album since 2008’s Venus On Earth, an album that helped establish them as purveyors of exotically charged psychedelic guitar rock. On Cannibal Courtship the core of the band is still made up of brothers Zac and Ethan Holtzman and Cambodian singer Chhom Nimol. It also sees the band retain one of their defining characteristics, namely the delivery of vocals in both English and Cambodian national language, Khmer.

This vocal mix lends a unique, unfamiliar quality to their music and quite often casts them as the kind of band that you might see in a dimly-lit bar scene in a Quentin Tarantino movie. Indeed, much of the music on this album continues the band's soundtrack-friendliness, a quality previously evidenced by some of their older tracks cropping up in several films (most prominently in Jim Jarmusch’s Broken Flowers and Matt Dillon’s City Of Ghosts).

Opening title track Cannibal Courtship sees bright vocal harmonies give way to blasts of guitar whilst Nimol implores an unnamed other to "be my sacrificial lamb". Cement Slippers continues this theme, all choppy, zigzagging guitar riffs and buoyant vocal melodies. It is not until the third track Uku that the Khmer vocals first appear. It signals a distinct shift in style resulting in an aching, more pensive sound. The same applies to Sister In The Radio, a similarly sorrowful, slow-paced elegy. Nimol’s vocals veer between softly delivered, heartfelt pleas and shrill, fluctuating wails and may be an acquired taste for some. It is these tracks delivered in Khmer however that arguably come across as most distinctive and original.

Family Business sees the band revert back to brash, synth-supplemented guitar workouts. The album features some moments of slacker humour along the way and they are not overly concerned about including the occasional insalubrious lyric. This is especially true on Only A Friend, as Zac Holtzman reiterates the crude lyric "I’m overseas, flirting with girls and catching diseases" over a taut, ascending guitar riff. Thank You Goodbye is a soaring, melodic slab of infectious power-pop and sees Nimol coldly serenade a would-be admirer with lines such as "Please let it go, you’re just another stamp in my passport". The fragrant instrumental Kiss Of The Bufo Alvarius serves as a reminder of their ability to produce evocative little pieces suited for the big screen. Final track Durian Dowry has more in the way of weeping, longing vocals over understated guitars and brass. In some ways it is a slightly muted way to close the album, certainly after some of the more colourful moments experienced along the way.

Cannibal Courtship is another installment of oriental-flavoured guitar pop that strives to meld alternative guitar sounds with Far Eastern sensibilities. However it never quite matches the standard of its predecessor and ultimately it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that their sound is just a little too different and unconventional to see them rise above the status of a minor cult band.

ALBUM REVIEW: We Move Through Negative Spaces by Kontakte

The below review originally appeared on musicOMH.

Kontakte - We Move Through Negative Spaces
(Drifting Falling) UK release date: 11 April 2011
3.5 / 5

After first appearing on the musical landscape in the early 1990s the genre of post-rock has embarked on something of an interesting journey after initially driving itself down something of a narrow, stifling alley. However, recent years have seen the genre expand and develop, often incorporating elements of electronic and ambient music, and increasingly being supplemented by string arrangements. Such is the relative wealth of music being made in this category, that in order to achieve distinction bands are increasingly required to produce strikingly new or original compositions.

London based outfit Kontakte are faced with this kind of challenge on the release of their second album We Move Through Negative Spaces. It reflects the trend towards electronic/ambient/modern classical music whilst ensuring that their focus never strays too far away from a resounding guitar sound. The album has a lot in common with other contemporary instrumental music in that it aims at cinematicism, and it ultimately enjoys a degree of success.

The two most obvious points of reference are Mogwai and Explosions In The Sky. The quiet-to-loud dynamics practised by these bands are not as evident here however, the changes being more gradual.

Opening track Astralagus sees an alluring guitar line relayed over escalating synth passages and fractured electronic beats. Hope... showcases pretty melodies played out against a backdrop of enkindled guitars and With Glowing Hearts offers similar, delicate refrains emerging from a resounding wall of static sound. These are templates which are replicated effectively over the course of the album.

The elegant, muted atmospherics of Early Evening Bleeds Into Night features the first use of strings, followed soon after by A Snowflake In Her Hand which employs them in a more calming, elegiac fashion. It positions the band closer to artists such as Jóhann Jóhannsson and Eluvium. The Owls Won't See Us In Here sees the return of ricocheting, splintered beats to the sound mix. The Ocean Between You And Me ends the album in contemplative style with a substantial yet restrained crescendo.

As with Explosions In The Sky in particular, the titles of each instrumental track seem to try to place the music in a human, emotional context, and inject some warmth into the instrumentation. In We Move Through Negative Spaces Kontakte have released a perfectly accomplished, assured album, albeit one that never really threatens to move the genre into uncharted territory.

ALBUM REVIEW: Start And Complete by About Group

The below review originally appeared on musicOMH.

About Group - Start And Complete

(Domino) UK release date: 18 April 2011

4 / 5

Collaborative projects have become increasingly commonplace in recent years with more artists willing to embrace experimental working practices, whilst pushing themselves in unfamiliar, unexplored musical directions. Already this year we have witnessed the coming together of electronica artist Jon Hopkins with Scottish singer songwriter Kenny Anderson (King Creosote) to wonderful effect on Diamond Mine. 7fingers, the collaboration between pianist Nils Frahm and cellist Anne Müller, provides further evidence of a fertile musical landscape.

About Group are one of the more interesting of these modern musical cross-pollinations, an eclectic gathering of Alexis Taylor from Hot Chip, Charles Hayward from This Heat, John Coxon (who has appeared on records by Spiritualized and Spring Heel Jack) and Pat Thomas (who has previously worked with Derek Bailey amongst others). The album title reveals much about how it was created, the respective musicians convening in London at Abbey Road Studios to record the album in one day, arriving with only a limited prior knowledge of the material and a loose idea of the direction in which they wished to head. The album that followed is a testament to this deliberate attempt to produce circumstances that would encourage spontaneity and stimulate creativity.

Modestly paced, minimalist instrumentation dominates much of the album and there is a tangible sense of each track being afforded sufficient space to breathe. This gives rise to bare, open arrangements with subtle electronic detailing hidden within the shadows. Quite often the music is tinged with a slightly melancholy feel and certainly inhabits a place far away from the positivity of the iridescent, dancefloor-friendly electro of Hot Chip. If anything, it comes in closer to the work John Coxon did with Spiritualized, heavy on emotion, longing and catharsis.

The album is bookended by two short bittersweet pieces, Married To The Sea (A) & (B), succinct little tracks that introduce one of the main lyrical themes of the album, the ups and downs of human relationships. Don’t Worry, Repair Man and Lay Me Down all possess more of an overt rock aesthetic, with lyrics that strive to communicate personal, sincere messages. Warm backdrops of organ and guitar enrich the vocal melodies of each track. A Sinking Song is the emotional heartbeat of the album, a personal reflection on a relationship that has overcome previous difficulty to blossom. It is a brittle, quietly powerful song, which sees Alexis Taylor give one of the performances of his career to date. Wurlitzer organ and hushed, rolling percussion form a sympathetic backdrop to Taylor’s sensitive vocals. The subsequent track Nothing But Words could almost be viewed as some sort of musical sibling, being similarly vulnerable and affecting.

Parts of the album share certain textures with late period Talk Talk, capturing a lot of the sentiments present on those seminal albums. Indeed, Alexis Taylor’s singing frequently comes close to emulating the tremulous, wavering vocals of Mark Hollis, particularly on Rough And Smooth. They also include a cover of composer Terry Riley's version of You’re No Good by soul/jazz bandleader Harvey Averne. It sees the band flex its collective muscles, laying down an extended, improvised kosmische-soul workout over the 10 minutes. Yet despite a strong opening, the track seems to lose focus and drift away, and eventually begins to feel slightly overlong.

However, this is a rare moment of weakness. On the whole Start And Complete is a singular and fearless album that conveys significant emotion, rewards repeat listens, and shows what can be achieved when a band’s approach to music is defined by bravery and vision.

ALBUM REVIEW: Talahomi Way by The High Llamas

This review originally appeared on musicOMH.

The High Llamas - Talahomi Way

(Drag City) UK release date: 11 April 2011

4 / 5

The High Llamas have spent much of the last 18 years releasing consistently engaging albums of mellifluous, harmony-infused music. Recent years have seen frontman and songwriter Sean O'Hagan work at an unhurried pace, carefully crafting songs that seem to inhabit their own particular place, isolated from any modern trends or movements.

Their ninth album Talahomi Way may not contain anything in the way of radical departures, but it sees them consolidate their sound, whilst simultaneously offering a few career highlights along the way. It builds on the disarming beauty of 2007's Can Cladders, and contains all the traits you would normally associate with the band. The arrangements are intricate, the melodies are deceptively simple and an air of gentle serenity pervades the album. Some of the string arrangements are reminiscent of those supplied by Robert Kirby for the albums of Nick Drake.

Each track demonstrates O'Hagan's painstaking attention to detail, each particular musical idea being attentively pursued and thoughtfully executed. It is as if each note has been meticulously selected and deliberately positioned, and each accompanying lyric sensitively imparted. The album is mixed by Stereolab's Tim Gane, a long time collaborator, and he successfully ensures that none of the precision or clarity of sound of recent releases is lost. Unlike their other recent albums there are no female backing vocals on any of the tracks. The sole inclusion of Sean O'Hagan's soft-edged vocals lend the album a more personal feel as a result.

The album opens with Berry Adams which sets the mood for what follows, string arrangements embellishing a melody which reveals itself slowly over the four minutes. The pastoral, understated instrumental Wander, Jack Wander establishes the tone furthermore. Take My Hand is a contender for the strongest track on the album, featuring something approaching a brisk, bossa nova beat. It serves as a reminder of O'Hagan's interest in different musical styles and sees the band revisit the sun-dappled exotica that has occasionally graced previous albums. Throughout O'Hagan requests listeners to "take my hand, and run it through the sand". Lyrically it also references the ocean and the sea and it really deserves to soundtrack at least a small part of the forthcoming summer.

The beguiling title track Talahomi Way appears at the midway point of the album, the lyrics being despatched early, allowing the remainder of the track to unfurl itself in patient, instrumental fashion. To The Abbey sounds just as fresh and crisp, with acoustic guitars, strings and marimbas all courteously interacting, discreetly playing off each other.

The cut-and-paste, mildly glitchy electronics of Angel Connector gives an all too brief hint of a different era High Llamas, specifically recalling 1998's Cold & Bouncy album. Its counterpart Crazy Connector appears towards the end, an example of the short instrumental interludes that The High Llamas do so well. Indeed, several tracks end with the kind of small musical postscripts that the band specialise in. Calling Up, Ringing Down closes the album on an appropriately breezy note. If a criticism could be levelled at the album it may be that some of the other tracks move along in a relatively quiet, unobtrusive manner, not reaching the heights achieved elsewhere.

It may not be difficult to detect the influences and inspirations that lie behind the sound of The High Llamas but that should not detract from the ambition, zeal or forward-thinking outlook of the music. In Talahomi Way The High Llamas have produced another album far greater than the sum of its component parts. It is unlikely to create any major impact on the current musical landscape but it augments and improves it in its own special little way.

ALBUM REVIEW: Fatou by Fatoumata Diawara

This review originally appeared on musicOMH.

Fatoumata Diawara - Fatou
(World Circuit) UK release date: 19 September 2011
4 / 5

Fatoumata Diawara was born in the Ivory Coast to parents of Malian origin and currently is based in Paris. It is this background and blending of different influences and cultures that contributes to the fresh sound on Fatou, her debut album for World Circuit. Musically it is constructed from the simplest of ingredients – acoustic guitar, a sprinkling of percussion and her imposing, but never overpowering, melodious voice. It results in music that proudly respects its heritage and traditions (being informed by the indigenous Wassoulou culture and delivered in her native Bamanankan language) but equally is also forward-looking and progressive in nature.

The album’s heart is undoubtedly still in African music but there are other global strands and influences detectable within her sound. In the live arena she has recently performed with acts such as Afrocubism, Oumou Sangare and Staff Benda Bilili, all of which provide helpful points of reference for her music, although her sound has more in the way of fluidity and soulfulness. However, the album also has moments that are reminiscent of music of Caribbean origin, most notably by the much missed Andy Palacio.

The album is ushered in by the warm, understated Kanou which introduces Diawara’s gently rippling vocals and dexterous guitar playing. Sowa possesses a lovely, sun-kissed sound that is punctuated by catchy vocal inflections which result in the album’s most accessible and immediate track. Bakonoba follows, with its heady mix of bustling guitar and percussion that seems to suggest a musical parallel to the vibrancy and activity you would find on the streets of a major African city.

On Makoun Oumou her voice is used more like an additional instrument, layering sounds on top of the winding guitar lines. Kèlè and Sonkolon both possess a lilting positivity while Alama is a more pared-down effort, a singular guitar melody being supplemented by compacted vocals. The ebullient Bissa has a sashaying beat and rhythm before the pace and volume drops on Wililé, leaving the delicately conveyed vocals as the main focus.

A warm summer breeze infiltrates and snakes around much of Fatou. Some of the slower songs share the soft musical glide of Ali Farka Touré, whilst the more animated tracks touch on the vitality and energy of Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou (another act she has supported live). The last two songs may not quite match the standards established earlier in the album but on the whole for a debut it is a remarkably assured album, varied and joyous, and brimming with promise.

ALBUM REVIEW: Lost In The Glare by Barn Owl

This review originally appeared on musicOMH.

Barn Owl - Lost In The Glare

(Thrill Jockey) UK release date: 12 September 2011
4 / 5

Lost In The Glare is the second full album released on Thrill Jockey by Barn Owl, following 2010’s Ancestral Star and it sees San Franciscan duo Evan Caminiti and Jon Porras diversify and consolidate their distinctive sound. The arid, smouldering guitar landscapes remain but they have been improved and allowed to move in hitherto unexperienced directions, possibly even edging them away from the musical periphery they have occupied to now. Inspiration is still drawn from natural phenomena, environmental events and cosmology, all of which are equally reflected in the track titles, as they are in the widescreen sound. The mountainous terrain and illuminated sun featured on the album cover art serve to reaffirm this perception.

Pale Star opens the album in familiar style, a lone guitar line being slowly drawn out and augmented into a fuller, more dissonant sound. The dynamic changes towards the end of the track, as the guitars fall away and allow a measure of serenity to momentarily surface. Turiya has more of an overt (post) rock sound and features some of the most striking percussion on a Barn Owl record to date. At times it is even reminiscent of Come On Die Young-era Mogwai.

The duo of Devotion I and Devotion II best encapsulate the expanded sound on the album. The former is a masterclass in detailed, controlled tension, and possesses a discreetly pervasive quality that shows they don’t need to rely on amplified guitars to create their richly evocative ambient panoramas. Devotion II closes the album in contrasting style, incendiary guitars and crashing drums merging to form a powerful, affecting cacophony. As with Ancestral Star it is this final track that is arguably the highlight of the album. However, it cannot claim to be the heaviest or bleakest track on the album, an accolade comfortably taken by the aptly named The Darkest Night Since 1683. Its appearance sees the mood noticeably blacken as angry, menacing guitars impose themselves on the album in abrasive fashion. If the opening three tracks witnessed the careful creation of a vast sonic architecture, this is the sound of it being methodically and brutally razed to the ground.

Temple Of The Winds follows and reverts to softer acoustic textures. It provides signs of reconstruction and succeeds in lifting the mood back up from the dark chasm it fell into during the previous track. Midnight Tide and Light Echoes are more restrained, the former containing some of their most accessible moments, while the latter plays out to a searing guitar drone that depicts an exposed, barren sonic wilderness. Lost In The Glare is a wonderfully cohesive album of instrumental-avant-Americana. It is a powerful listen and at its vertiginous peaks is something of a transcendental experience.

ALBUM REVIEW: The Floating World by Inch-Time

This review originally appeared on musicOMH.

Inch-Time - The Floating World

(Mystery Plays) UK release date: 25 July 2011
4 / 5

Precision. Brevity. Minimalism. Clinicalness. These are all concepts suggested by the name Inch-Time, the electronica project of Australian musician Stefan Panczak. Such notions inform most of The Floating World, Panczak’s third album under the Inch-Time guise, and the first released on his own label, Mystery Plays Records. It is a release that occupies similar territory to his previous material but on the whole comes over as a more honed, consistent and atmospheric piece of work. Dig down deeper and you learn that Panczak found inspiration in the Japanese art movement of Ukiyo on this occasion, which provides an additional, suitably intellectual context for the resulting album.

It opens with Videograms, crisp beats and smeared kosmische synths forming a kind of free-flowing electronic tapestry. The quietly sprawling X-Ray Eyes follows, unfurling at a slower, near glacial pace. Next up, Of Times Past sees scattered micro-percussion settling over a series of delicately inferred melodic lines. It is an opening triumvirate that sets an impressively high standard, and compares favourably to the best work of acts such as Ametsub, Marconi Union and ISAN. Indeed, these comparisons are lent further weight by the news that an album of remixes by other electronica outfits will accompany this release.

Two Courtesans has a creeping dub feel, and surprisingly shares similar moods and textures to those found on the recent Forest Swords record, albeit here distilled into something smaller and more compact. Electric Blue has more in the way of dubby reverberations and sees Panczak also incorporate some of the spatial acoustic instrumentation found on 2006’s As The Moon Draws Water album. Other than this track however, it is an idea he chooses not to pursue on this release. Instead he concentrates on purely electronic compositions, best represented here by The Big Sleep and Late Spring both of which feature sharply delineated, taut beats running alongside short, cyclical metallic effects. Similarly, suspension recalls the tightly controlled minimalism of Alva Noto.

In 2008 Panczak curated a curious, slightly whimsical concept album by the title of Teaism: Music Inspired By The Art And Culture Of Tea which collected tracks from a gathering of similarly inclined musicians. It demonstrated his commendable interest in pursuing wider projects but also hinted at the existence of a collective of artists under the musical radar that shared a communal outlook and set of styles. The Floating World may not possess this sort of broader, unusual agenda and may not necessarily radically expand the genre but it is another of those satisfying albums of unassuming, cerebral electronica that seem to currently drop on to the musical horizon with gratifying regularity.

ALBUM REVIEW: The Proximity Effect by Laki Mera

This review originally appeared on musicOMH.

Laki Mera - The Proximity Effect

(Just) UK release date: 12 September 2011
2 / 5

Scottish quartet Laki Mera may take their name from Greek mythology but their sound is rooted firmly in a modern world dominated by restrained arrangements, inoffensive synth patterns and airy vocal melodies. The Proximity Effect is their debut album, following the earlier release of an EP which garnered generous comparisons to fellow Scots The Cocteau Twins, a comparison only really accurately illustrated on opening track The Beginning Of The End, which is dominated by singer Laura Donnelly’s crystalline, processed vocals. It ensures the album opens with a sense of ethereality which sadly is never really recaptured again on the album.

The spritely More Than You and melancholic Double Back soon follow, arguably being two of the strongest tracks on the album. Like much of the album however they have a sort of undemanding, unexacting quality to them, with the honeyed vocals possibly helping gloss over the shortcomings of elsewhere. Double Back in particular, with its moderately soul-searching lyrics has a tender vulnerability to it, something which could equally be said of Solstice, a track of mellow femininity which features Donnelly repeatedly singing “someone help me out here” to a drifting musical accompaniment.

Fingertips has an agile lightness to it and Fool fares slightly better, even coming close to recalling The Sundays or the pop sound of The Bird And The Bee. We see a modest increase in pace on Onion Machine but already the impression is beginning to form that the arrangements may just be too unblemished, a little too clean and in places almost a little bereft. In particular How Dare You and Crater both come across as overly timid and uncluttered, almost apologetically so.

This makes the appearance of the instrumental Pollak Park in the second half of the album even more welcome, boasting significantly more in the way of driving rhythms and softly propelling synths which help shake the album out of its momentary slumber. It carries much more weight and casts a far greater presence over the album, which up to this point seems to have been excessively haunted by the ghost of trip-hop. Unfortunately many of the tracks on the album segue into each other in an almost indistinguishable manner, and some stray dangerously close to being soporific. The Proximity Effect may contain occasional moments of prettiness, but even after repeated listens it is hard not to crave more in the way of variety and substance.

ALBUM REVIEW: Canta Lechuza by Helado Negro

This review was originally published on musicOMH.

Helado Negro - Canta Lechuza

(Asthmatic Kitty) UK release date: 11 July 2011

3.5 / 5

Helado Negro is the sobriquet adopted by Roberto Carlos Lange, an American musician of Ecuadorian lineage. The name translates as ‘black ice cream’, appropriate in that it accurately reflects the unusual juxtaposition of styles found within his music. Canta Lechuza, his second album under the Helado Negro name, is an understated offering of handcrafted Hispanic folktronica and proves a worthy addition to Asthmatic Kitty’s growing roster of highly individualistic and idiosyncratic acts.

Lange wrote the album over a number of months spent in a rural Connecticut retreat and its origins are tangible throughout. Much of it possesses a natural, organic warmth and he appears to be more intent on creating moods rather than laying down imposing melodies or rhythms.

Opening track Globitos provides us with the first glimpse of his voice, a sort of soft, curtailed croon that suggests what Gruff Rhys may have sounded like had he been raised in South America rather than north Wales. On 20 Dia his voice unexpectedly captures the smoothness of mid period Roxy Music and following track Lechuguilla continues in a similar style, imparting mildly soulful undertones that call to mind early period Devendra Banhart. It is moments like these that give the album a laid-back, leisurely feel, seemingly entirely free from worry or conflict.

The album has more to offer than this however, with Regresa in particular featuring more in the way of skittering, amplified percussion and layered effects. Similarly, Cenar En La Manana is set against a quietly oscillating background and Oreja De Arena sees his voice approach a keening falsetto, draped over toned-down, squelchy electronica. Calculas displays some gently mutating synth sequences and certain tracks, most notably the album closer Allanzar, possess ambient backdrops that would not sound out of place on an album released on Warp Records. It is this subtle sense of experimentation that suggests his outlook is similar to artists such as Cornelius, yet the way he melds this firmly to acoustic instrumentation also aligns him with acts like Tunng.

All in all, it is difficult to pin him down or comfortably place him into any particular musical box, a view further strengthened by his releases and collaborations under other names (perhaps most significantly as one half of Savath & Savalas alongside Prefuse 73 man Guillermo Scott Herren). Cantu Lecheza has a combination of sounds infrequently heard together elsewhere. At times doubts can surface as to whether it can fully work but against not inconsiderable odds he ultimately manages to pull it off, delivering on the whole an impressively irregular album of Latin-inflected laptop folk.

ALBUM REVIEW: The Moonlight Butterfly by The Sea And Cake

This review originally appeared on musicOMH.

The Sea And Cake - The Moonlight Butterfly

(Thrill Jockey) UK release date: 9 May 2011
2 / 5

The Moonlight Butterfly is officially the ninth album by The Sea And Cake, all issued via Thrill Jockey, although at six tracks long it may be more generous to consider this latest release as an EP. Musical genres and movements may have come and gone since their debut in 1994 but The Moonlight Butterfly offers proof of how their core sound has fundamentally remained defiantly, almost ruthlessly unchanging over the years. Sam Prekop's feather-light, soft-tipped vocals still grace the album and musically the band follow a similar path with gossamer, shiny guitar and synth textures abounding.

Opening tracks Covers and Lyrics see their trademark sound quickly established, with the use of circular rhythms and repeated motifs still placing them closest to Stereolab and Tortoise (unsurprising given that John McEntire still plays drums for the band). Both contain a meandering, inoffensive cadence but the listener is forced to work hard to extract any discernable melody.

The instrumental title track however does show signs of progression, five minutes of bubbling synth-led electronica that unexpectedly brings to mind Kraftwerk. It is a refreshing brief change in sound and suggests an alternative avenue that the band would be well advised to investigate further. It offers plenty of scope for potentially successful reinvention.

Yet, on this occasion the band choose not to pursue this option. Inn Keeping follows, clocking in over 10 minutes, and sees layers being slowly peeled back to reveal the subtlest of tweaks to their sound. Final track Monday benefits from some decorative acoustic guitar and sounds vaguely euphonic, but unfortunately peters out without making a memorable impression.

The Moonlight Butterfly is unlikely to win the band any new converts, much of it struggling to fully make itself heard and forge its own identity. It may be hard to actively dislike but similarly difficult to love or champion. Previous albums such as Oui and One Bedroom seemed to possess a more tangible focus and direction. If we look beyond the tentative mid-album foray into electronica we can see a band hindered by a narrow, restrictive and undeviating sound. Maybe it is time for them to move out of the comfortable hinterland they have occupied for the last decade to seek musical pastures new.

ALBUM REVIEW: Strange Hearts by Secret Cities

This review originally appeared on musicOMH.

Secret Cities - Strange Hearts

(Western Vinyl) UK release date: 6 June 2011
3 / 5

Strange Hearts is the second album by North Dakota trio Secret Cities, released less than a year after their debut, Pink Graffiti. The relatively short period in between albums unsurprisingly sees them pursue no major change in direction to their approach or sound.

Unfortunately their music is still mired in muffled, hazy production, a seemingly conscious decision to project a lo-fi aesthetic over the album. It is a shame in many ways as a rainbow of hook-laden bubblegum-indie-pop songs reside under the scuffed surface. It is not a huge leap away from the type of production that bands like Animal Collective have adopted over recent years but it doesn't always suit or flatter their material.

Always Friends begins the album in impressive style, sounding like Vampire Weekend if their afro-beat influences had been minimised and replaced by a heady mix of pirouetting melodies and shuffling percussion. It features some of the cleanest sound on the album but once over the obfuscating production quickly reappears, giving rise to a blunt, bass-heavy sound on many tracks.

The ghost of Galaxie 500 lurks in the background of certain tracks, most notably on The Park. Love Crime possesses some serene harmonies (imagine listening to Fleet Foxes through frosted glass) but unfortunately can't really help shake the track into life. No Pressure displays the band's admiration for the sound of 1960s girl groups and the vocals of MJ Parker simultaneously recall the early work of The Magnetic Fields, albeit slightly more pallid and wayward. A milder, refracted version of 1960s psychedelic rock can also generally be detected on the album, although in reality Secret Cities are a thoroughly more indie proposition.

Brief Encounter makes room for some understated brass alongside the pining vocals, and for a moment the resultant glow can almost be spotted through the dense layer of fog. Likewise, Forest Of Love is a lively bundle of energetic guitars, bustling drums and stop-start vocals. Portland closes the relatively compact album, an infectious summery burst of indie guitar pop, the girl/boy harmonies swaying in the breeze whipped up by the blissed-out, saccharine guitars.

It is these later tracks that best demonstrate Secret Cities' ability to write captivating little indie pop songs that defy easy categorisation. However, they only appear sporadically and despite the band's endearing innocence, ultimately it is hard not to feel the album would benefit from a greater clarity and precision of sound.

ALBUM REVIEW: Outside by O'Death

This review originally appeared on musicOMH.

O'Death - Outside

(City Slang) UK release date: 6 June 2011

4 / 5

New York based outfit O'Death have built up a reputation over recent years as practitioners of a ragged, incendiary gothic-country-punk rock that beats with a dark, heavy heart. Third album Outside however seems to show a band in the throes of minor change, and sees them deliver a slightly more nuanced collection of songs, albeit one that retains much of their energy and passion. Indeed, it could be possibly viewed as a subconscious reaction to the difficult personal circumstances of one band member, drummer David Rogers-Berry, who in 2009 was diagnosed with bone cancer. He has since returned to the band, minus part of his shoulder that was removed and replaced with a metal plate (although you would never guess given some of the powerful drumming featured on the album).

Much of the album is close in sound to artists like Neil Young, Bonnie Prince Billy and The Low Anthem. In places it also sounds not dissimilar to Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds if they had been reared in the American mid-West, purely on a diet of stripped down bluegrass and country.

Bugs opens the album and is in possession of a soaring, airborne chorus. It is followed up by the gloriously ramshackle Ghost Head and the stomping Alamar, which features clattering instrumentation and intense fiddle playing reminiscent of late period A Silver Mt. Zion. Black Dress showcases their mastery of striking tempo changes, as does Ourselves which arrives full of stark, clashing percussion. For a brief moment it suggests a band on the brink of collapsing in on itself before the situation is salvaged, and the song successfully reconstructed.

Many of the tracks follow a similar template, opening with an isolated guitar or banjo line that is subsequently amplified and expanded into something much more voluminous. Look At The Sun is one such track that undergoes this transition, culminating in a procession-like march. On this track frontman Greg Jamie delivers his earnest vocals in a style not far away from the gloomy baritone of Paul Banks from Interpol.

The remainder of the album is filled with more in the way of off-kilter, jagged Americana that has been informed by a post-punk sensibility. The Lake Departed closes affairs, cracked vocals being projected over an arid, skeletal backdrop, sounding at times like the much-missed Sparklehorse.

It would not be impossible for Outside to inspire a mid-career blossoming in popularity akin to that recently experienced by fellow Americans The National. Equally, the success of bands such as The Low Anthem seem to indicate a new found appetite for this music. For now however, O'Death should simply draw personal satisfaction from Outside, an album that moves on their sound and represents a small triumph over personal adversity.

ALBUM REVIEW: Marissa Nadler by Marissa Nadler

This review originally appeared on musicOMH.

Marissa Nadler - Marissa Nadler

(Box Of Cedar) UK release date: 13 June 2011

4.5 / 5

Last year American singer Marissa Nadler found herself in the unenvied position of being without a record company after being dropped by Mexican Summer. As a result her fifth, eponymous album has been released on her own label courtesy of the worthy Kickstarter project, a platform whereby fans pledge funds to enable artists to see their creative projects come to fruition. The music itself builds on the marked progression offered by her 2009 album Little Hells. Her sumptuous, utterly untainted vocals once again dominate proceedings, although to concentrate exclusively on these would be to ignore the strong songwriting which underpins the album.

The album sees a succession of warm, hushed acoustic guitar textures provide an accommodating bed in which Nadler's flawless vocals can rest. The hazy sound and crepuscular feel to parts of the album recall fellow vocalist Hope Sandoval, or occasionally a more fragile and more gothic Cat Power.

The album opens with In Your Lair, Bear which contains delicately picked guitar lines that encircle the alluring vocals. The ethereal Alabaster Queen sees Nadler at her most vulnerable and introspective, as she repeatedly promises that "I'll be your alabaster queen". It is wistful, poignant and a song of undoubted beauty. It is also the first example of many on the album where female figures populate the lyrics of the song. In this case Nadler sings in the first person, subsequent tracks see additional, named characters introduced.

The Sun Always Reminds Me Of You is another personal tale of a lost relationship as well as being the most immediate, accessible track on the album. The radiant guitar playing and captivating vocal melody betray the sad subject matter. Nadler may sing of there being "nothing but love songs on the radio" but under the surface there is melancholy and regret. The track plays out suitably to a bittersweet pedal steel guitar refrain. Baby, I Will Leave You In The Morning is another stripped down, powerful meditation on a relationship headed in a downward spiral. It sees her pleading "you will need to forgive me, I've been a sinner all my life you see" as the overall mood closes in and darkens.

Some of Nadler's vocals are still shrouded in reverb, a trait that has been a consistent presence in her music over the years. There are moments on this album however where her voice rises above the surface, coming across as even more stark and confessional. The understated drama of Puppet Master provides an example of this, the track also benefitting from the beams of light that fall down on to the shifting tempos. The second half of the album sees no dip in quality. Wedding is a pale and ghostly lament, In A Magazine features some of her most precisely enunciated lines and the final track Daisy, Where Did You Go sees her deliver some of her most spine-tingling lyrics over a spectral, folky guitar line. "Daisy, where did you go, with your phantom limbs and eerie hymns, there are two of us here that I know". The song is rich in symbolism and the mention of "eerie hymns" seems a particularly appropriate label for the album in general.

The album may be constructed from the barest of components, namely acoustic guitar and her voice, (there is no piano or organ as featured on Little Hells) but these are employed so judiciously that anything else added would be superfluous. The independence and freedom afforded by the circumstances of its creation seem to be mirrored in the quiet confidence of the album. It is a collection of songs from an artist approaching the peak of her powers and although it may be downcast and sombre in places this cannot stop it from being a paradoxically engaging and uplifting listen.

ALBUM REVIEW: Beautifully Falling Apart by Marconi Union

This review originally appeared on musicOMH.

Marconi Union - Beautifully Falling Apart: Ambient Transmissions Vol 1
(Just) UK release date: 11 July 2011
3.5 / 5

Recent years have seen the release of a wealth of electronic music, often spanning multiple micro-genres, making it increasingly challenging for artists to produce new and original works that stand apart. Reclusive Manchester-based outfit Marconi Union have steadily released albums of pristine, clinical electronic music over the last decade and their latest Beautifully Falling Apart sees them continue to refine their art in minimalist fashion.

2008's A Lost Connection and 2009's Tokyo set something of a personal benchmark for the trio, the former in particular coming close to pinpointing the very moment where hushed post-rock intersected with ambient electronica. In essence not a great deal has changed on Beautifully Falling Apart, although the use of guitars is less prominent compared to some of their previous releases. It offers proof that they inhabit similar surroundings and capture comparable moods to acts such as Loscil and Pausal.

Breathing Retake provides a suitably contemplative opening, plumes of cold electronics gently rising up against the pure, still musical terrain. It is one of the few tracks to have any obvious trace of guitar, and helps it to recall the memory of Labradford. Slow Collapse and Blue Collar Parade are both slowly evolving, orbiting pieces that sound like they could easily be surreptitiously inserted into Apollo by Brian Eno without anyone really noticing. The former in particular comes across as a dreamy sonic mirage, while the latter features stretched out, synthesised arches.

Losing The Light is a shimmering ambient lullaby and the title track features snippets of dialogue alongside field recordings of falling water which casts a more esoteric, drifting feel over the piece. The album reaches its pinnacle on final track A Shower Of Sparks, a deep, immersive sea of enveloping tones and textures, rich in microscopic detailing. It suggests the sound of Tim Hecker at his most quiescent, any harshness having been extracted and replaced by gentle melodic ebb and flow.

Beautifully Falling Apart places Marconi Union firmly in the vanguard of acts making atmospheric, ambient music. It may not be entirely flawless but much of it provides an absorbing, transporting experience and encourages the listener to simply sit back and enjoy the journey as it unfolds.