Darian has been running Edible Onion Records since founding the label over five years ago. I've always been impressed with the hand crafted details of his releases like in a Br'er single a while back that had cutout windows on the sleeve with layers of vellum underneath. Handpainted and numbered they were tiny artifacts themselves reminding me of Sam from Eau Records mix of singles and art, Darian takes the packaging as serious as the tracks inside. It doesn't matter this is his own project with Benjamin Schurr from Br'er and Gabrielle Smith of Eskimeaux, tiny records should be given this attention from the day they're conceived to finishing each one of these 220 with a handpainted sleeve. The incredible amount of work that goes into each one makes you want to spend a little more time with them while the record is spinning.
A-Side's "Pirouette" opens on a warm reverb electric melody and plotted out bass that's referencing a lot of that '60s girl group harmonies and phrasing until this outer space synth sound warbles in running it straight into today. Darian and Gabrielle have a perfect combination of wandering harmonies in their deliberate, soft delivery. A quivering synth takes over it's every appearance, like an emulated saw but there s a massive range of understated electronics going on here, a dense mix of instrumentation. It's a dreamy kind of indie with echo's of the Vivian Girls and Magnetic Fields in the use of unique elements that drive the tracks and give them character. Just when it might be too beautiful or sweet, these odd tones remind you of reality that might not always be as beautiful as it seems on the surface.
B-Side's "Holey Bones" cranks up that reverb distance with wet springs in a slow trembly rhythm. Vocally it's wading through the molasses of this thick haze with triangle strikes, shuffling brushes on the snare and Gabrielle's ahhh's from the rafters of this prom. I like that these bones are full of holes and not the sacred kind. Minimal compared to the A-Side until sharp feedback shreiks come in breaking the spell with an orchestration of various synths piling into a jagged slippery wall, droning out the tenderness we started with. An unsettling piece hinting again there's always more to the siren call.
Get Still Sweet's single from Edible Onion Records. Head over there for samples of the tracks.
No comments:
Post a Comment