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Best Tracks – 10.21.22

Best Tracks – 10.21.22

 

Dry Cleaning – “Kwenchy Kups”

One of the best albums of the year, Dry Cleaning’s second record expands their established sound while simultaneously making it more distinct. “Kwenchy Kups” especially, does all it can to push whatever Dry Cleaning formula there is into brighter and more dynamic territory. Florence Shaw’s lyrics and vocals may only be delineated by the band’s instrumental changes, but they remain relentlessly beguiling, finding room in just under three minutes to encapsulate the listener in every inch of British consciousness.

 

Archers of Loaf – “In the Surface Noise”

The first full-length Archers of Loaf album in 24 years should be greeted with riotous applause and celebration, at least it would be if you were tracing the band’s discography alone. Instead, we had the foresight to understand that Eric Bachmann’s interim solo career has been consistently hit or miss, and that while the band sounded great on their most recent tour, a full album would be exactly what it is – a victory lap. Still, any scattered album has its high points and “In the Surface Noise” is a rollicking revival of the angsty exuberance that made the group so immediately celebrated.

 

Burial – “Exokind”

This surprise “EP” comes in at just over 34 minutes, a personal pet peeve considering that by that metric, you could consider Thick as a Brick and Tubular Bells just singles. Regardless, Burial’s comeback is in full swing, and the three tracks here compliment the producer’s newer, more mature sense of evocation. “Exokind” makes a great closer too, as it shuffles through a showcase of synthy soundscapes and ambient record hiss, it eventually brings the dramatic syncopated flourishes that Burial has earned the right to employ.

 

Courtney Barnett – “Words and Guitar”

On paper St. Vincent’s take on “Dig Me Out” should easily be the standout on this song-by-song cover compilation, but while Annie Clark brings the necessary vocal ferocity to the track, the instrumental unwisely tries to compete with the urgency of Sleater-Kinney’s and ends up a limp shadow of the original. The other two no-brainer pairings though, Courtney Barnett doing “Words and Guitar” and the Linda Lindas taking on “Little Babies”, live up to their expectations and Barnett’s in particular shines. With a bouncier beat that serves the track better than it would on the actual album, Barnett brings the track closer to a surf guitar beach party, that only complements the underlying melancholia.

 

Dawn Richard & Spencer Zahn – “Umber”

Few musicians have followed a trajectory like Dawn Richard. It seemed as though the transition from a Making the Band contestant to the critically acclaimed New Breed was drastic enough, but in Richard’s defiant drive to push away from the mainstream, she’s saddled up with Spencer Zahn. Zahn’s minimalist instrumentation provides Richard the backdrop for restraint, and it isn’t until the album’s climax on “Umber” that Richard seems to break free of these self-imposed restrictions. It may still seem like a confounding left turn, like if Mark Hollis delved into Laughing Stock in 1984, but “Umber” gives hint to Richard’s restlessness.

 

Nick Hakim – “Vertigo”

Hakim has slowly been transitioning himself from the pigeonhole of a post-Justin Vernon acolyte to an artist who seems to be constantly outdoing himself. COMETA is often sparse and sweetly sung, but just as often discordant and soulful and rhythmic. “Vertigo” for example, takes its sparse and lo-fi guitar strums, pairs it with some spacey R&B instrumentation and presents Hakim as the confident and effortless singer who can shepherd a moment to whoever is listening.

 

The Soft Pink Truth – “Moodswing”

After Shall We Go on Sinning So That Grace May Increase? Drew Daniel’s Matmos side project seemed to be back in full force and on Is It Going to Get Any Deeper Than This? he pushes himself even farther, distinguishing it from a vanity project and even justifying the unnecessary title length. Over its nearly 70-minute run time Daniel delves into deep house, ambient, and glitchy pop, managing to turn out “Moodswing”, a track capturing a frenzied push towards jazzy and dynamic euphoria.

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