The latest offering on Fly Lo’s Brainfeeder imprint comes courtesy of LA-based artist Teebs. Collections 01 is a surreal and dreamy landscape, awash with pastel colours and a lo-fi motif, which meanders throughout the 10 tracks on show. At times it seems both reflective and nostalgic – downbeat without ever being depressing. Opener ‘Just The Yellow Bits’ and track nine ‘Red Curbs Loop (Stuff I Dream About)’ seem personal and introspective, without trying too hard.
‘Cook, Clean, Pay The Rent (New House Version)’ is a playful retro tribute to 50′s Sci-fi that bumbles along merrily with its head above the clouds in a smart space-age groove. The finale’ of ‘Yellow More New’ is a fitting close and natural accompaniment to the introduction which, interspersed with the more contemplative sections, book-end the release nicely. The use of harpist Rebekah Raff adds delicacy and the arrangements are immersive, spine-tingling and energetic – serving as an ideal counter to the sluggish rhythms and the sparse, distinctively grainy beats.
The tracks ‘Jahara’ and ‘Verbena Tea’ serve up highlights for me: the former a light-hearted string-based jaunt with the latter being a more melancholic affair, given its strong organ section. Echoing the feel of the whole album, just as you consciously feel yourself slipping into an opiate-induced slumber, you are pricked awake and reminded to brush your teeth before bedtime.
Released 7th November 2011
words by Reza Ghazizadeh
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