Shining moments elevate minimal electronics
Minimal, electronic music is an interesting genre, and a tricky one to pull off. When done well, it seems to fit into small spaces, almost making other music seem overindulgent with its full swath of sound. When done poorly, it comes off as an underdone afterthought - small sounds created not out of purpose, but from a lack of focus or inability to complete a musical thought.
On the new Phon°noir album, The Objects Don’t Need Us, listeners will find prime examples from each end of this spectrum; encased in an album that is equal parts inspiring and frustrating. The inspiring moments come in the shape of perfectly crafted soundscapes, filling the listener's space with melodies constructed from the tiniest elements and tracks that are allowed to build and swell outside the norms of minimal music. At the end of the day, some of the most compelling music contained on this record is that created with a larger sound palette.
Tracks like the churning, engaging "gullholmen" incorporate strings into a full synth wash that's reminiscent of a lost, mystery collaboration between The Album Leaf and early Manual. Unfortunately, other songs like "you are the eskimo" and "my paperhouse on fire" are largely flat, uninteresting tracks with electronic sounds you've heard before, un-elevated by the nearly-whispered, garage-rock vocals.
The album ends with its two strongest tracks: "a different kind of january" and "as seen at the end of the mechanical age". The first is a beautiful swelling affair; a constant build starting with little more than a clicking beat and expanding into a beautiful collage of sounds. The latter is a more restrained composition; melancholy guitar lines floating mysteriously above a harpsichord-esque synth backing. These tracks in their entirety, as well as many moments (though rarely entire songs) scattered across the record make a strong case for the best music on the album being the least traditionally "electronic".
While far from perfect, the album definitely provides more than its fair share of beautiful moments. In future releases, I hope to hear Phon°noir straying further from cold, distancing electronics and fully embracing the song-craft and musicality occasionally showcased here.
| Reviewer: Will Joines Added: October 26th 2007 |
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