The future of music is here. Or at least the sound of the future. So-called chillwave, with its processed effects--vocals, synthesizers, loops--is often a compelling reclamation project: sifting through the musical scrapheap of yesterday in order to build the sonic structures of tomorrow. Though it is wildly unfair to group these three artists together--especially given the disparate vibes on their 2011 releases--there is no denying that their musical force is responsible for pushing boundaries and creating backlashes that, ironically, stem from the disintegration of a perceived musical trend.
On Chaz Bundick's second full-length, Underneath the Pine, he delivers a warm electro-pop affair that leans on the past for inspiration, filtering through an analog lens groovy beats and ambient immediacy. Combining some of the best elements of chillwave with a deep immersion into sonic textures of yesteryear (think Deerhunter but for dance/R&B music), Toro y Moi comes of as the coolest and grooviest technician in the neighborhood. Smart kids need dance music, too.
On Era Extrana, Texas' musical cyborg, Alan Palomo, went to Finland to be reprogrammed. The Atari-bit beats of his lo-fi debut, Psychic Chasms, have been replaced by the consoles of the future, resulting in a more hi-def experience. The catch? The mid-winter decay of the production--even the decay of the very future--feels chilling in the cold hands of the love-sick and anxious programmer. The lesson? Virtual love is always elusive.
On Ernest Greene's proper debut, Within and Without, the lap-pop whiz creates a dreamy, synth-washed pallette that could be the movement's love child. Lush, beautiful, and romantic, Washed Out's arrangements contain an understated elegance that cannot be dismissed as mere background music. The live instrumentation amps up the decibels while retaining the music's hushed ambience. Gorgeous stuff.
No comments:
Post a Comment