The Octopus Project + Black Moth Super Rainbow
The House of Apples & Eyeballs
Graveface
I can’t remember what, if any, my expectations were before delving into this collaborative effort from two of indie pop’s fringe elements, but the reality of this disc are probably better than those forgotten preconceptions. Ruled by a severely high level of ADD, most of the songs’ growth period is extremely short but surprisingly focused. While there might not be much development within a particular song, the groups keep the ideas firing rapidly, abandoning one sound for another as the seconds tick along. There’s a innate sense of wonderment in all of this material, as though it was either composed for, or written by, children. At times – like the whooshy windswept quieter moments of “Marshmallow Window” – they seem to tap directly into the electronic Playskool veins of Boards of Canada. They’re equally earnest in making cacophonous, borderline abrasive noise that’s delivered so sweetly it still goes down easily. The disc’s shining track is “ELQ MILQ” which lays out a touching guitar melody in a whirlpool of gently syncopated electronics. It’s pretty much the sounds of summer vacation encapsulated. With both of these acts beginning to garner attention on their own, it’s up in the air whether another dual effort like this can be expected in the future, but if there is I’ll surely know what to expect.
Graveface Records: http://www.graveface.com
