It is a waypost from which loyal listeners can turn around and take in a complete view of what ground the solo project has covered stylistically. His third full-length release and his first effort outside the influence of the Captured Tracks record label, Eucharist makes for a milestone in John Pe ña's discography under the name Heavenly Beat. McMahon's vocals are powerful, half-shouted half-sung, especially so on his cover of This Mortal Coil's dream-pop classic "Song to the Siren". Songs like "I Know Myself" and "Green Eyes" slowly build upon minimal arrangements, opening with guitar and percussion, followed by layers upon layers of improvised accompaniment, from moaned backing vox to droning strings. It is powerfully succinct and filled with lush textures that often recall The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows". I feel that as a standalone EP release, it's McMahon's greatest output to date. The latest AD release, a 6-song EP, is composed of 5 alternate takes from previous albums and a cover track. Though recent efforts have nudged the project's sound towards accessibility, its adventurous spirit and penchant for improvisation is as present as ever. Frontman Damon McMahon borrows timbres normally associated with cozier acts like Fleet Foxes and Paul Simon, only to bend and distort them into spookier sonic territories. Many post rock bands suffer the blight of unmemorable melodies and sterility, but these qualities are anything but applicable to Kairon IRSE! - the album showcases incredibly engaging elements from both shoegaze and post rock, and the highly energetic execution of this fusion is what makes Ujubasajuba one of the strongest albums of the two genres from 2014.Ever since I first laid ears on Amen Dunes' sophomore LP, Through Donkey Jaw, I've found myself fascinated by the project's peculiar approach to folk music: skeletal in construction, yet its reverb-laden aura of mystery wafts through the air like ceremonial incense, filling each song with an eldritch breath of life. Melodic trade offs between guitars, synthesizers and vocals throughout strengthen the psychedelic aspects of the album to the point where they almost merge together and it is these nonthreatening vocals that range from whispers to soaring highs which hit the ear like a soothing nectar. The guitars and bass play around similar motifs throughout each song yet differences and progressions in sound and tone creates a distinction for each instrument and shows just how meticulous their writing is it is perhaps shown best as the album draws to a close in the dynamic finale of 'Les, Moh y Gribi'. Throughout the album, each instrument provides a complimenting support for the rest of the band with an air of modesty, yet little variations as the songs progress make all parts fascinating to focus on individually. But regardless of which genre camp the moment belongs to, the music is so lushly and consistently layered that not a second is spent out of interest for the listener. The lighter shoegaze parts of 'Ujubasajuba' tend to have meandering guitars and synthesizer melodies panned in each ear, creating an ethereal atmosphere to counter the heavy and imposing post rock each song develops into 'Swarm' displays a grand crescendo through unrelenting snare drum rolls and crushing bass drums to create a maddening sense of anticipation. Kairon IRSE! invoke chaos as much as they create order in the heavier elements of the album, where a seemingly thrashing performance reveals itself to be quite restrained and controlled - the explosive end of 'Rulons', where the frantic melts into the serene seamlessly, is an excellent example which shows this. 'Ujubasajuba' integrates the band's previous dabbling into shoegaze fully to create a post-rock sound almost definitive to them alone, and it is this which has helped Kairon IRSE! to create an album which stands out from the crowd.Īlthough 'Ujubasajuba' throws you in the deep end with the relentlessly heavy 'Valorians', most songs tend to share similar structures which shifts between gentle psychedelica and heavy instrumental or, in the case of 'Amsterdam', vocal onslaughts. Kairon IRSE! returned in 2014 with their sophomore effort which rocked the boat in both the post rock and shoegaze worlds. Review Summary: If the shoegaze fits, wear it
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |