Album “Reviews”

Big Black Coat by Junior Boys

Justin Anastasio, Leave a comment

Junior Boys - Big Black Coat

You stand before a large doorway cloaked in darkness. You brush the dirt away from a sign above the opening, revealing weathered engravings that spell out the words “Time Warp.” You step through the dank, dusty blackness. Your senses are immediately overtaken by a moment of piercing sound and blinding light. When it’s over, your eyes adjust to the new sight of a night club, filled with ebullient patrons. Before you realize, your feet begin to move . . .

Crafting music that sounds “sexy” is a difficult balancing act. The sounds have to drip with sensuality without collapsing into pastiche, but taking oneself too seriously often results in comedic outcomes. Artists are also melding the feet-moving sensibilities of dance music with seductive flavors, now more than ever. Big Black Coat is the newest full-length from Ontario-based duo Junior Boys, two longtime veterans of this style.

These guys are masterful in their approach to building compelling electronic instrumentals — containing elements of funk, house, disco, hip-hop, r&b, techno, and more — that perfectly accentuate the irresistibly sultry voice of singer Jeremy Greenspan. The songs have an irreverent quality that make them indispensably fun to listen to, but they’re also funny, self-aware, and filled with authentic passion.

The fact that this group still sounds this fresh after five records is an astounding feat, and it’s a testament to the duo’s ability to experiment in just the right amount without losing sight of what burns brightest in their songwriting: the uncanny merging of mind, body, and soul into a hip-shaking onslaught of melodically entrancing, rhythmically captivating, “sexy” music. If you’re seeking sensual electronic pop, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Big Black Coat by Junior Boys

Wabi-Sabi by Cross Record

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Cross Record - Wabi-Sabi

You stare at a large painting depicting a pastoral scene. The vivid colors capture your senses with astonishing realism. You smell the pungent grass that the animals consume. You hear the babbling stream that rushes through the lush field. You feel the sunlight that beams down and warms all that exist below it. The paint appears to fly right off the canvas. A thunderous BOOM shakes your surroundings, and the paint does fly, surrounds you, transports you . . .

The potential for disparate musical elements to mix harmoniously never ceases to amaze me. Oftentimes, the result doesn’t always turn out so elegantly (I think we all remember Lou Reed’s short-lived soiree with Metallica on Lulu), but it can also be the saving grace for well-deserved artists that require only a tinge of flair. Wabi-Sabi is the newest full-length from husband-and-wife duo Cross Record, joined by Thor Harris.

Singer Emily Cross and multi-instrumentalist/producer Dan Duszynski revel in dreamy, folk-tinged songwriting on this record, accompanied by a women’s choir that expands the depth of the lush compositions. The wild card here is the tasteful addition of Swans drummer Thor Harris, who incorporates marimba, kalimba, and other percussive tools with stunning results. These songs are refreshing, entrancing, organic, and powerful.

The remote locale where the group recorded these songs (Dripping Springs, Texas) played a large part by influencing the quieter, more desolate-sounding moments of Wabi-Sabi, a title that roughly translates to “the acceptance of imperfection” in Japanese. There are tons of components that could be deemed “imperfect,” but they all mesh to form the contrary. If you’re seeking powerful, experimental folk, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Wabi-Sabi by Cross Record

Third Law by Roly Porter

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Roly Porter - Third Law

A black hole in the distance. A star falls to your right. A trail of light that immediately dissipates. A large explosion to your left. A black hole in the distance, slightly closer than it was a few minutes ago. An explosion below you, smaller than the other one. A piece of debris obstructs your vision for only a second. A black hole in front of you, growing larger. A black hole in front of you, swallowing everything. A black hole in front of you, all around you . . .

Sci-fi and electronic music go hand in hand. The former’s ambitiously inventive concepts are complimented by the latter’s expansive sonic potential, and vice versa. Some highly adept artists craft records that are seemingly ready-made for film, although nothing is lost with the absence of visual components. Third Law is the newest full-length from producer and former Vex’d member Roly Porter, a masterful conceptual composer.

Porter’s ability to marry the overwhelmingly intense with the stunningly serene is truly something to behold. These compositions commit to no genres whatsoever, and only carry vapors of techno and ambient music. Tranquil strings and synth drones are overtaken by towering mountains of earth-shaking bass, pulsing 808s, and choral harmonies, only to emerge from the cacophonous rubble with sparse, subtle beauty.

After tackling the musical narration of a star’s life-cycle from birth to death in his previous record, Porter explores Newton’s third law of motion (for every action, there is an equal and and opposite reaction) in this collection of songs. This concept is embodied in the flawlessly paced, meticulously detailed chain-reactions that occur across this marvelous record. If you’re seeking otherworldly electronics, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Third Law by Roly Porter

Suicide Songs by MONEY

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MONEY - Suicide Songs

The sun rises over a large grassy field nestled in the core of a deep valley. People from all walks of life emerge at the horizons of the hills that surround the dale, and begin walking, running, stumbling, and rolling down the green. A massive stage is erected on one side of the valley, and the crowd gathers eagerly in front of it. The sun disappears behind a small cloud, but the warmth reemerges in seconds. Musicians step onto the stage, and everyone listens . . .

Enjoy their music or not, The Smiths made an enormous impact that planted bountiful seeds in the minds of young musicians, many of which are just now blooming into their own respective versions of Morrissey, Marr, Rourke, and Joyce. The iconic group also put northern England on the map as a breeding ground for the romantically melancholic. Suicide Songs is the newest full-length from Manchester-based band MONEY.

The first thing one notices is just how alive these songs sound; the standard trio instrumentation of guitar, drums, and bass is engulfed with worldly percussion rhythms, sweeping string accompaniments, and soaring harmonies sung by gospel singers. The second is Jamie Lee’s unmistakable, irresistibly-charismatic voice. The frontman is a controlling presence, leading each compelling rock composition with power and grace.

Brits possess a knack for transforming personal despair into uplifting beauty. One needs tough skin in order to live in the region, and one must develop methods of coping with inevitable hardship. Suicide Songs isn’t just gorgeous and elevating, it’s spiritually transformative in a rare way. It’s a record that holds listeners in its magnificent, scarred hands. If you’re seeking romantically melancholic rock, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Suicide Songs by MONEY

MartyrLoserKing by Saul Williams

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Saul Williams - MartyrLoserKing

Text in an indecipherable code scrolls across a black screen, for what seems like days. The characters stack upon each other, and grow brighter until the blinding light swallows your vision. You don’t gain feeling in your physical body until the light fades, revealing a colossal bookcase towering over you. You struggle to stand, and walk towards the books. Before your hand reaches a volume, the shelves are consumed by fire. A hooded man stands behind it . . .

We need those artists that care for the well-being of others, the ones that utilize their chosen medium as a soapbox to project the things that actually matter. They possess the rare opportunity to serve as a voice for the voiceless, and no genre houses more artists of this lauded caliber than hip-hop. MartyrLoserKing is the newest full-length by musician, poet, writer, actor, and activist Saul Williams, a man of, by, and for the people.

These songs are expansive concoctions of hip-hop, dance music, rock, and punk. The artist dives in and out of these genres with finesse, and flavors from each are frequently mixed with wonderfully perplexing results. Williams is as versatile as they come, and he indulges in his experimental tendencies by adopting many different voices and lyrical flows, while producer Justin Warfield fleshes out worlds both futuristic and primitive.

The words that ride atop the rollicking instrumentals are often cryptic, stream-of-consciousness barrages that slice with sharp significance. Williams infuses these universal messages into a fictional narrative about an African miner-turned-hacker with the screen name “MartyrLoserKing.” This is an important record, and one that takes excavating. If you’re seeking potent, experimental hip-hop, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

MartyrLoserKing by Saul Williams

Acheron by Shalt

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Shalt - Acheron

You place your hand on the watery surface of a tall, elegant mirror that stands before you. Ripples grow from your fingertips and disappear at the mirror’s edge, expelling tones that ring through the surrounding chamber. An unseen force slowly pushes your head through your reflection, and you see what exists on the other side. A burning aircraft plunges into a crumbling tower below, overlooking a city in shambles. Something pushes you. You fall . . .

No boundaries exist when it comes to composing modern electronic music. Artists need not confine themselves to any specific style or sonic palette, so conceptual ideas, landscapes, and even stories can be fully realized in synthetic form. The Astral Plane mix series is a ripe source for this kind of expansive music, and this record is their first output as a label. Acheron is the newest release from Lausanne-based producer SHALT.

Right from the get-go, it’s clear that this music evokes lucid images of unknown worlds. The piercing synth melodies drip with effects and the growling bass lines lurch menacingly, while bombastic drum-breaks ricochet off of everything. The producer skirts along the edges of grime and house, but these songs largely defy any preconceived classifications. These compositions are experimentally compelling to the utmost degree.

Acheron‘s most distinguishable characteristic is the way it melds all of its alien elements into forms that anyone with an open mind can enjoy. There are grooves abound betwixt the strange folds of these songs, and you can dance to pretty much every track here (given you have a spot of rhythm). Here’s to Astral Plan Recordings, and a stellar debut release. If you’re seeking grime-tinged, experimental electronics, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Acheron by Shalt

The Waiting Room by Tindersticks

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Tindersticks - The Waiting Room

By nightfall, you reach the mossy shore of a small lake. The full moons, both high above and the one reflecting off the water’s glassy surface, illuminate the surrounding glade. A star falling in the distance grasps your vision. Your eyes follow its descent behind a mountain, before looking down at a mysterious platform floating inches above the lake. A soft melody on the crisp air entices your feet to step upon it, and it begins to steadily move over the water . . .

There are few artists, and even fewer bands, that possess the capacity for longterm, career-spanning greatness. It requires a consistent contortion of sound in just the right amount, constant development of talent, and an unflinching dedication to the pursuit of creative authenticity. The Waiting Room is the newest full-length from Nottingham’s Tindersticks, a group that’s on a rare 25 year-streak of ingenuity.

The common threads tying these refined compositions together are a remarkable level of instrumental restraint, and the smoky narration of frontman Stuart Staples. These songs are tastefully subtle, swelling from soft keyboard melodies and twinkling percussion, through glistening peaks adorned with brass and woodwinds. This record is patient to the utmost degree, but every minute traversed is filled with inventive beauty.

The Waiting Room is gorgeous throughout, but the apex may be penultimate track “We Are Dreamers!”, in which Staples is joined by Savages frontwoman Jehnny Beth for a boisterous release of toppling tension. The two contrasting voices intertwine in a spirited, ritualistic display, showing the teeming life that lurks within these tender songs. If you’re seeking classically refined, idiosyncratic rock, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

The Waiting Room by Tindersticks

Love Over Will by Alex Smoke

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Alex Smoke - Love Over Will

A celestial body, faintly glowing like a white silhouette, carries you through endless starry blackness. You view planets, asteroid clusters, and other galaxies from the giant’s outstretched palm. The colossus doesn’t move a muscle as you both speed through the universe, until you attempt to traverse its forearm. An invisible blockade impedes your movement. The giant slowly turns its head toward you, and its mouth opens to speak . . .

Techno is a predominantly instrumental game. It’s a genre that embraces experimentation and disparate influences, but rarely do techno producers bare their voice on record for all to hear. It’s a bold move, but it’s one that has the potential to pay off immensely if tastefully implemented, as it is on this album. Love Over Will is the newest full-length from Glaswegian producer/singer Alex Menzies, as Alex Smoke.

These songs have distinctly techno/house vibes, with irresistible grooves lathered in lo-fi haze. The producer has a penchant for classical music, and he works that into his compositions in the form of some gorgeous string sections. When it comes to his voice, Smoke coats it in layers of effects, giving it an ominous, enigmatic feel that comes across as mesmerizing. The track lengths are brief, but they’re uniquely captivating.

Although many of the songs have dance-floor potential, that isn’t the producer’s main focus. Love Over Will is an intensely personal record, one in which the passion put into it is clear in the beautiful, often perplexing result. This music is mysterious, funky, disorienting, emotional, and completely enchanting all at the same time. Where else can you find that? If you’re seeking enigmatic, vocal-driven techno, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Love Over Will by Alex Smoke

Jet Plane and Oxbow by Shearwater

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Shearwater - Jet Plane and Oxbow

You sit within the largest spherical arena in the known galaxy, surrounded by patrons of all sizes and species. The enveloping darkness is accentuated by camera flash sparkles, and blinking colored lights that canvass every surface of the venue. The ceiling above slides open, through which endless stars can be seen. The colored lights disappear, and a roar erupts from the crowd. The stage below fills with smoke, followed by the sound of a synthesizer . . .

Bless the songs that soar, the ones that propel listeners to a higher plane of existence, where troubles are given meaning or dissipate entirely. Electronic music seems to possess a stranglehold on this breed of music, but what happened to the rock anthems? Where’s our U2, our Queen? Jet Plane and Oxbow is the newest full-length from Austin-based band Shearwater, a group that eases my mind when it comes to these questions.

Front to back, this record is filled with epic rock tunes that would ignite the most massive arenas. Frontman Jonathan Meiburg’s voice is a compelling presence, one that guides the lush instrumental compositions through shout-out-loud choruses and tender ballads alike. Glistening, starry-eyed synths give the tracks immense depth, and, similar to U2’s The Unforgettable Fire, this collection of music feels colossally significant.

Onboard this time around is Red Kross drummer and seasoned music supervisor/film composer Brian Reitzell, who’s scored Lost In Translation, NBC’s “Hannibal”, Friday Night Lights, and more. Reitzell brings his collection of percussion, keyboards, and silver-screen know-how to the party, and the music of Shearwater has never sounded this monumental. If you’re seeking soaring, folk-tinged arena rock, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Jet Plane and Oxbow by Shearwater

Malibu by Anderson .Paak

Justin Anastasio, Leave a comment

Anderson Paak - Malibu

You step through a door into a warm, smoky lounge. The lights slowly dim, and faintly illuminate the faces of lovers staring deeply into eyes from across white cloth-clad tables. You find an open stool at the bar, order your usual, and turn to face the stage across the room. Spotlights hit the curtain as it raises, revealing a large band. The guitarist and drummer initiate a subtle groove as the frontman, suave as can be, strides toward the mic . . .

At its heart, hip-hop is communal. It was born from the collective mindset of those oppressed, deemed “unfit” by society, as a result of various circumstances; that’s why the genre works best when multiple perspectives are considered and implemented. Malibu is the newest full-length from singer/rapper/producer Anderson .Paak. The artist, previously featured on Dr. Dre’s Compton, has created a masterpiece.

It’d be a more plausible feat to list what bases .Paak doesn’t cover on this record. The spirit of hip-hop burns brightly in the core of these compositions, but the sonic stylings delve through the likes of funk, gospel, house, jazz, and many more. Schoolboy Q, Rapsody, The Game, Talib Kweli, and others are featured with wonderful results, but it’s the ringleader’s charismatic flow and soulful singing voice that steal the show.

.Paak has certainly experienced his fair share of hardship, but rather than directly communicate those experiences via aggression, he contorts it into a plethora of vibrant colors that he paints into something beautiful and new. Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly kicked off 2015 and set the bar high, but Malibu certainly gives it a run for its money. If you’re seeking expansive, funk/soul-tinged hi-hop, this album is for you.

– stasi (@stasisphere)

Malibu by Anderson .Paak