Review // Pond- 'Hobo Rocket'

It's Monday which means a whole new load of releases are unleashed for your ears out into the big wide world- one of these being Pond's 'Hobo Rocket', which I reviewed for Crack over here. You can also read the piece below- spoiler alert: It ain't 'Beard, Wives, Denim', that is for sure...
Pond- 'Hobo Rocket'
 Aussie psychedelic collective Pond have been at the height of their underground success for a number of years, yet they've never stood to the praise and recognition they deserved until last year’s 'Beard, Wives, Denim', a collection of flailing, warped garage offerings. However, the band have come close to mainstream recognition due to having common members with the widely loved neo-psych outfit Tame Impala. But as Pond/TI member Jay Watson once told us over a cigarette in Manchester: “Tame Impala is the pussy version of Pond. This is what we produce when we don’t have limits.” And judging by opener 'Whatever Happened to the Million Head Collide', with it’s almost-hypnotic vocals and clashing waves of unadulterated scuzz, it seems like this really is Pond’s big, bold statement… in the honeymoon stages, that is.
 Second track 'Xanman' projects Pond’s past country ideologies, woven with hazed-out guitar lines and scathingly coarse deliveries that burst out of your speakers until they almost reach distortional proportions themselves, atop a definitive explosion of raunched-out rockings that build tighter into an outbreak of corrugated unruliness. 'O Dharma' is about as poignant as this five-some will ever get, with tranquil instrumentals and achingly forlorn vocals of ‘when your love turns black and everything looks grey/ when your life comes back and you've got nothing left to say‘ that stretch out and tip-toe overhead, but rather than magnifying the potential beauty within, the song falls flat amongst it’s clichéd reveal. It’s a noticeable, reoccurring downfall that only continues on throughout the record’s thirty-two minute expedition.
 And that’ exactly the issue here, Hobo Rocket doesn't feel like a journey, progressive or not being out of the question, instead it gives the listener a sensation like a strenuous trek of epic proportions. Guest vocals from friend of the band and little-known character ‘Cowboy John’ on the title track are nothing more than uniform churns strewn out across their trademark pointers of rough and ready riffs, causing things to only decline more, thereon in, while 'Giant Tortoise' presents itself as anything but freshly produced, thronging them into feeling like one foot is remained firmly in the past. We get it, Pond are a kaleidoscopic bunch who like their workings drenched in fuzz, but they’re really not adding any edge to what we have actually grown to adore them for. For a release from such a highly energetic band who apparently don’t just pour, but rather unleash their inner craziness, Hobo Rocket is an unsatisfactory release that lacks excitement, originality and dynamism in equal measure.
Words by Yours Truly X

Review // Lapalux- 'Nostalchic'

Stuart Howard- also known as Lapalux- finally releases his debut full-length this month and I reviewed it for the cool cats (Seriously, have you seen this event they are putting on? Scousers' know how to throw a party!) behind Waxxx Magazine, back home. I've been waiting for this record to drop ever since I saw the man himself splice together everything from Danny Brown spits, to pop bootlegs we thought we'd forgotten about and back again to his own sparkling recordings; it may only be March but 'Nostalchic' is definitely going to be holding its own come a lot of end of year lists, I can tell you that right now. You can pre-order it over here, too- Thankyou Based Brainfeeder!
Lapalux- 'Nostalchic'

Hailing from humble beginnings straight out of Essex and still only in his twenties, Stuart Howard- also known as Lapalux- is the only British signing to co-exist alongside the likes of heavyweights to the genre Martyn and Thundercat, upon the impressive roster of FlyLo’s Brainfeeder label. Having remixed Bonobo to melodic levels and turned Lianne La Havas’s ‘Lost & Found’ into a smooth, chopped ‘n’ screwed number whilst still retaining sentiment, Howard finally releases his debut full-length next month, a year after his acclaimed pair of debut EP’s for the label dropped to a rapturous reception; but will ‘Nostalchic’ be able to stay originally exciting across all twelve tracks?

Album opener, IMYSIS (Tape Intro), plays like an emotional, drawing piece thanks to high keys along with contagious, deep-rooted and ghostly introductional beats, showcasing his managbility and talent of successfully offering flair and notable, diverse points of interest that don’t just commence and halt at the starting block. ‘Guuurl’, first single to be previewed from the album, combines cleverly twisted vocals that soar over achingly submerged, investigational beats and cite nothing short of tremendous production values to make for an indubitably provocative single. As well as this, he manages to reflect how much more experimental and bold this collection of tracks pans out against his previous ‘When You’re Gone’ EP, mixing- as he does throughout the LP- guest vocals that don’t overshadow but complement his workings, exquisitely.

Releases such as the re-worked version of 2011’s ‘Kelly Brook’ that also features, cements Howard’s evident hip-hop influenced taste with deep vocal samples and what with the insertion of Quasimoto and Danny Brown tracks morphing their way into his recent live sets, it’s clear that this gent knows his shit- and well at that. The rippling undertones of ‘One Thing’ when combined with the bindings of static on ‘The Dead Sea’, makes it apparent that the obvious nostalgia/ chic combination is anything but dated and unfolds as a brilliantly pragmatic album that is sure to set the bar to new-fangled, fresh heights within UK electronica.
8/10

Words by Yours Truly X

Review // Flume- 'Flume'

I hope you're all well! I've had a fantaaastic week comprised of catching Rene LaVice and Tom Demac live (Shout out to H2 for the best closing tracks, like, ever.) and finally demolishing ridiculously good food at Almost Famous after a lovely day of visiting exhibitions at 2022NQ. Inbetween this, I also reviewed Flume's debut album which is out today, it is brilliantly genre-bending and channels some sunshine into this much needed grey February, you can read it here over at FreedomSpark! My latest Artrocker column will be live tomorrow, too, I do spoil you all, don't I?

Words by Yours Truly X

Review // Purity Ring- 'Shrines'

Evening! I'm still in hibernation until Saturday (Apparently there is a heatwave back home? Say what?!) so until then, Purity Ring's debut record 'Shrines' is released today, so, I reviewed it for 4AD and I thought I'd paste it below as I havn't been really keeping things original on this blog as of late (sell-out?). When I first saw PR play Deaf Institute back in November, yes, they were pretty fucking good live but I honestly didn't believe they'd have the balls to make something so bursting with talent and individuality. Hell, the only thing I don't like about it is the artwork but I suppose I can't really hold that against them. Basically, read the kind words below, listen to a few tracks and most importantly, buy it. I hope you love it as much as I do! X

Purity Ring- 'Shrines' (4AD Records)

The words ‘Montreal’ and 4AD have both popped up onto our radar quite substantially this past year (Let’s not name names’ now...) and with the highly-anticipated debut full-length from Halifax/Montreal duo Purity Ring finally birthed into the world later this month, our Google+ notifications are spiralling out of control more than ever. Comprised of Corin Roddick and Megan James, both fundamental artists in their own right before channelling together for this project, create otherworldly “lullabies” for the dance generation and conduct experimental live shows- of which is all alluring in black and white for sure, but what exactly will release ‘Shrines’say to those listening?

For persons unfamiliar with the work of Purity Ring, one might conjure up a mentality of choral, clean-cut melodies and orderly compositions, oh how you should never judge a band by their name! Introducer, ‘Crawlersout’ showcases blissed, metallic whirrs married together with compelling keys and James’s seraphic tales to develop the track into a blissful state of equilibrium. Pulsations of resonating, twisted Male distortions- of which we can only presume is the alternative contribution on Roddick’s behalf- adds another depth to the darkened cosmos the duo have so beautifully created…not what you expected from a band named after a religious piece of chastity jewellery, eh? This is dance music done differently, one that challenges the listener to ponder themes and reach a point of empathy through James’s impressive allegory skills, rather than elation as usually anticipated from such a genre.

First official release, ‘Fine Shrine’, indicates the duo of sticking to their fool-proof formulae comprised of gloomy palpitations and angelic accounts coming across overtly Salem a la King Night on the instrumental front- yet lush anecdotal flutters throughout, help the track to reach an eerie level that reinstates their identity as a dance band, rather than being confined to short-lived tags of ‘witch-house’ or ‘drone-pop’. ‘Ungirthed’ uncovers itself as a showcase of what the couple do best, with James’s vocal range being reflected superbly (without being detracted from, unlike earlier tracks where production attributes, although executed well, do so) and suggesting that they’re not going to lie down and take labels, especially when it comes to that “lullaby” branding.

‘Amenamy’ continues on to exhibit dazzling ripples of metallophone and electronic vibrations before weaving into spacey working ‘Grandloves’, featuring a flavouring of male reverberations that add an unconventional element of complexity to not only the track but the whole collection, by flirting with hip-hop flairs and experimental concepts, of which the release is not exactly in need of but welcomingly embraces. ‘Lofticries’ incorporates a union of skewered soul undercurrents and flourishing stems of piquant stories throughout, a manner continued on (although under much more moving, stripped-back nostalgic terms) to closer ‘Shuck’, a certainly touching track that shimmers of its own accord, with impassioned lyrics of “I’ve shook all the light from my skin and I’ll light it in you” divulging a narrative of optimism and positivity to a truly empyrean level. Although experimental acts often find it difficult to execute a whole body of work seamlessly, without appearing brash or cacophonous, this is exactly what James and Roddick have managed to accomplish naturally whilst still retaining an air of immediacy and rapture.

An enigmatic collection of gorgeous, contrasting endeavors that not only presents itself as a universal piece of art but also cements Purity Ring as a limitless act with a bright future ahead of them. Exquisitely atmospheric and strikingly transcendental in more ways than one, listen for yourself when ‘Shrines’ is released July 24th and see why it is definitely commended as one of the albums of 2012 so far…

8/10

Words by Yours Truly