Nodding its head to 50s and 60s stylings, ever so slightly Gothic (in the Vampyros Lesbos kinda way) and charmingly mysterious. Why ask for more?
Cryptacize – Mythomania
http://www.asthmatickitty.com/ http://www.konkurrent.nl/
Possibly one of the best opening tracks on any release this year, Tail and Mane, sets the scene for a very engaging collection of songs that are mainly reflective in outlook, but quietly determined to showcase Nedelle Torrisi‘s crystal clear voice.
The LP starts with a classic musical set-up: two totally different and very self-assured tracks set a sonic and emotional template for the rest of the LP. As hinted at earlier, Tail and Mane is a beautifully breezy, skanky love song with a hint of rockabilly about it. Quick on its heels is What You Can’t See Is, a classic 60’s style folk dream-float, softly sung lyrics (by a lad this time); very much in love with Syd B, or Donovan, or Art Garfunkel for that matter. So, there you have it. Nodding its head to 50s and 60s stylings, ever so slightly Gothic (in the Vampyros Lesbos kinda way) and charmingly mysterious. Why ask for more?
I should also point out that the tracks boast very rich textures and are incredibly comfortable in their own sonic space. Blue Tears and Mythomania are crystalline 60s beat-pop songs par excellence, and driven by that voice, and The Loving Sun begins by sounding like some mysterious Eastern Bloc kids TV programme before the rockabilly guitar line smothers the strange sound effect. I’ll Take the Long Way is a beautiful if slightly sinister love song, (that autoharp gets everywhere) and the jittery New Spell returns in part to the opener’s rockabilly skank before mercifully kicking off. Omnipresent is Torrisi’s chanteuse-like voice.
Fabulously understated dream-pop.
Words: Richard Foster