Panda Bear - Person Pitch

Pop elements are what I enjoy most in music, and, is primarily what I seek out. Bright soundscapes composed of jangly guitars, infectious vocals, and a manifold of complementary instrumentation are, to me, the peak of musicality. Having said that, pop often serves as a wonderful supplement to seemingly contrasting musical styles. The Jesus and Mary Chain, for example, drenched noise with underlying pop sensualities. My point is, these bright sounds can be, more often than not, completely utilized in conjunction with borrowed sounds.

Panda Bear, also known as Noah Lennox from Animal Collective, is the creative force behind Person Pitch, his third album. Admittedly, I’m not a huge fan of AC. Not that they’re bad, but I’ve never listened to them extensively. As such, I had no idea what to expect from this album. I was genuinely hoping that it wasn’t some self-indulgent noise escapade that would make my ears bleed, like another band, which I won’t bother naming for fear of their fans leaving my blog! Thankfully, my fears were put to rest. ‘Comfy in Nautica’ is a nice intro to the record, featuring restrained vocals on Lennox’s part, and monotonic chants from the background. The album is an extremely relaxed experience, save for a few tense moments.

The album has roots in a variety of sources. Most obvious of the lot is a happy-go-lucky 50s/60s pop attitude you’d hear from a jukebox, along with (/including) the Beach Boys. Person Pitch sounds like a modern interpretation of Paul Simon’s Graceland, which is a huge compliment as that’s one of the greatest albums in the history of this galaxy. Except instead of Simon’s richly defined voice, we’re met with the busy and droned-out voice of Lennox. It’s very image-heavy and constantly moving, with noises from his surroundings (cars, skateboards, owls) playing a large role in the formation of the album. Halfway through ‘Take Pills’ comes another example of this atmospheric influence, as the sound is submerged into water. The song also sounds like it’s been directly taken out of the Beach Boys catalogue and infused with very spacey and consuming surroundings. ‘Bros’ is the true gem of the album, a 12 minute and 30 second long epic. It’s perfectly timed, incredibly balanced, and melodically brilliant. “I’m not trying to forget you, I’d just like to be alone,” exclaims Lennox, perhaps providing further insight into the busyness and isolation of the record. ‘I’m Not’ and ‘Good Girl’ offer a break from the brightness, instead making way for 9 minutes of layered noises – meandering voices swaying to and fro - a sort of intermission between two halves of pop. Following this short break comes the familiarity of Lennox’s falsetto and multi-instrumentation, which continues through to the album’s conclusion.

It sounds redundant, forgive me, but Person Pitch truly shines with its pop sensibilities. Perhaps it lacks variation, but when it sounds this beautiful why bother entertaining the idea of multiplicity? I’m running out of adjectives and superlatives in which to describe it. It’s just… great. This will no doubt end up as one of the year’s best albums; it’s too good to be overlooked.

Edit: I'm in NYC for the weekend, I return after 4 days without the internetz and they get a 9.4 on p4k?!

MP3: Panda Bear - Comfy in Nautica
MP3: Panda Bear - Take Pills
MP3: Panda Bear - Bros

See Also:
Person Pitch at Metacritic

No Sleep Till Brooklyn

Emceeing has lost its way. The days of Rakim, KRS-One, and GZA moving crowds are gone. Hip-Hop is dead. Well, not really, but it certainly is ailing. Sure, I'm old fashioned, but at least I'll admit to it. Don't get me wrong, there's still a number good rappers around; Aceyalone, MF DOOM, and El Da Sensei, for example, but there's just not enough of them. And while it's unrealistic to expect a breeding ground of Pharaoh Monchs and Raekwons, one can dream. I'm a purist. You know, one of those guys who think lyrics should never take a backseat to beats and rhythms. Not to say that production isn't important, but I've all too often heard a rapper that can't cut it without the production crutch to lean on, and even then struggles.

In comes El-P: El Producto by name, MC, producer, and Def Jux CEO by trade. Released yesterday, I'll Sleep When You're Dead is his true sophomore album and first since 2002's Fantastic Damage. He's quick on the mic, witty, and bursting with literary functions that would make even the Genius smile. But what really separates him from the rest of the languid genre is his fierce enthusiasm. My heart tells me that he's reminiscent of Chuck D, but the brain knows no-one will ever re-create Public Enemy's boisterous and racially-motivated anthems. Still, his emceeing is compelling to say the least. It's shrewd, while still maintaining grit and sharpness. And most importantly, it's explosive. El-P has that sheer determination to succeed; that enthusiasm I mentioned. Edgy production further accentuates the experience, providing a sort of Bombsquad noise assault to match the chaotic vocal escapades. He doesn't hide behind the beats, he uses them to complement his rhymes, creating a state of emergency, and a bleak one at that.

The album also features a slew of guest performers: from his label-mates Aesop Rock and Cage, to NIN's Trent Reznor and Yo La Tengo's James McNew. However, it's clear that El-P's cold and cynical execution is the main drawing point at hand. Dude knows his history too, with lines like this, "I'll be drunk on the back of a train / Takin' a piss / Pumpin' BDP through a Raheem kit / With a double D Duracell destiny mega mix, like this" causing me to stop listening and laugh aloud.

To date, this is his premier opus. It's an excellent album, and El-P's vision fully realized. It's aggressive, it's hard, it's capricious, and it's a must-buy.

MP3: El-P - Tasmanian Pain Coaster
MP3: El-P - Up All Night
MP3: El-P - EMG
MP3: El-P - Run the Numbers

See Also:
El-P's interview with Chuck D
I'll Sleep When You're Dead at Metacritic

Klaxons - Myths of the Near Future

Much to the glee of "nu-ravers", NME darlings Klaxons are set to release their debut LP, Myths of the Near Future, in a few days time. This is the follow-up to their Xan Valleys EP, released in October 2006. Back in '06 my curiousity, no, impatience, got the better of me and I hunted for anything and everything Klaxons - demos, unreleased tracks, rough mixes, etc. So if you're like me, you'll already know 60% of this album before listening to it, causing this LP might seem like an elongated EP. For those not yet acquainted with these Londoners, I thoroughly recommend it.

It starts off with the distorted drumbeat of 'Two Receivers', not as fierce a song as I'd expect for the opener, but decent nonetheless. 'Atlantis to Interzone', a favourite from the EP, comes next, upping the tempo. 'Golden Skans' is one of the highlights, paying homage to light machines of the rave days. 'Totem on the Timeline', one of my favourite demos (it was then simply known as 'Totem') sifts through a pile of historical references including Caesar and Lady Diana, amongst others, to an angular and garagey background. 'As Above, So Below' is a fresh nugget of scattered poppy electronics, sunny even, as it's the brightest of the album. 'Magick' and 'Gravity's Rainbow', both solidified favourites amongst Klaxons fans, soon appear, followed by 'It's Not Over Yet', a nice ballad slathered with cascading synths. Closing out the album is another Klaxons favourite, the mythically-inspired 'Four Horsemen of 2012'.

Muddled throughout the LP are references to mythical entities and magical ideas, a Klaxons trademark, and something missing from the UK indie scene, which is seemingly obsessed with existential notions and daily routines. The title of this album itself, derives from J.G. Ballard's sci-fi novel. If nothing else, they're well-read and educated. 'Magick' is a term associated with occultist Aleister Crowley's magical philosophy, 'Atlantis to Interzone' references Burrough's, "interzone", or non-space, and the lost aquatic city of Atlantis, and 'Gravity's Rainbow' is named after Thomas Pynchon's post-modern novel. They also pay due homage to their influences. Kicks Like a Mule's 'The Bouncer' was covered on Xan Valleys, and now rave duo Grace, (Oakenfold, Osbourne) are covered on Myths of the Near Future in the form of 'Not Over Yet'. It's a solid debut with a lot of depth.

Here are some new mp3s featured on Myths of the Near Future:

MP3: Klaxons - As Above, So Below
MP3: Klaxons - Golden Skans
MP3: Klaxons - It's Not Over Yet
MP3: Klaxons - Totem on the Timeline