Thursday, November 25, 2010

antennasia - Qus-cus (2010)

 

I'm forcing myself to post something. I think I need to take a break from getting nowhere on my short story. My brain is also telling me to post something not asian, since it seems like I've been writing only about Japanese artists lately, but whatever. This is easier to write about for me since I've already listened to it a billion times, I haven't posted any trip hop yet, and they're one of my favorites in the genre. Anyway, this is the newest antennasia album after four years without a proper release. It has a slightly different feel to it compared to their earlier albums, almost leaning more toward ambient music at times, while also toning down their earlier introspective and haunting beats. While their earlier style was a huge part of what made me love them, this new direction isn't necessarily a bad thing, this is still a great album. At the same time though, I still wish I could hear a little bit more of that minimalistic bass heavy production from their previous albums. 

Like I said earlier, this album has a much lighter and more mellow sound than, say 2006's 23 Bluebird Street, Velo-city, but it's still distinctively antennasia. San's vocals are as beautiful as ever, floating on top of nerve's melodies. Much like the production, her vocals also much lighter, used more like another instrument in the tracks (not sure if I can say that if I don't think instruments were really used, oh well). Often, such as in Goats in a Blue Sky, she sings in almost a lazy slurred style, with many vocal melodies layered smoothly over each other, like a continuous stream of consciousness. Listening to her is almost like floating in a dream, with the many melodies washing over you like waves.

The Cat in the Mirror isn't actually the track I'd like to post, but it's still great and I'm feeling lazy. Maybe I'll come back and change/add another later.



Tracklist:
  1. You Draw, I Swim feat. Hybrid
  2. Metronome Wiper
  3. Female River ("On Your Radio" Version)
  4. noanoa
  5. Last Birds (CTANKEP)
  6. Goats in a Blue Sky
  7. Gynoid
  8. The Cat in the Mirror
  9. Passion Show
  10. Stareater
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