Labels: Coraille – Dunix – Landland
Review by: Andy Malcolm
This here is the latest works of Nate Kinsella, and he has got plenty of assistance on hand. I count 21 different names under the players section on the back. That’s a lot of people. I wonder if they all crowded in at once? I don’t really recall the previous offering ‘the Layer’ (reviewed over there), so can’t comment too much on progression or changes, but I can comment on just how soothing this on a Sunday morning. Tracks like “Fossil Record” are gentle combinations of soft orchestral instruments and sonic ambience, with occasional drones. If I had a hangover right now, this would be curing it. The twinkly electronics remind me of music I was listening to a few years ago on 12K – looped and simple, suited either to hypnotise or merely offer comfortable background music to drown out the grim silence of a day you can only waste. The vocals often waft in and out like a gas, a gas that bids you no ill will mind you. The album glides on through unintrusively, a cohesive construct of incredibly well judged music – the crew involved are precise with their light touches, nudging things in the right direction as and when required. At no point does the music shock or surprise you, apart from one noisy bit of distortion on “Burst at Night”, and that’s fine by me.
I must say I was intrigued regarding the lyrics, but there is no sheet, because there are words like “Put the monkey in the space suit”. Why, why put the monkey in the space suit Nate, why?
This is a good record. A record to use as an aural bath. It’s quite lovely.