Sun Araw's On Patrol, his fourth album for Not Not Fun Records, is an amazing piece of work and one of the most unique, brain-frying releases of 2010. Drawing comparison to stuff like Spiritualized, Sun Ra (naturally), Lee Scratch Perry or Fela Kuti, it's an intoxicating, swampy brew of dub textures, slow hypnotic guitar riffs, stoned grooves, tribalistic conga-led percussion and reverbed, chant-like vocals that float in and out of the mix. Pretty out-there, and pretty lengthy too (a double-LP release), but it's well worth the time invested.
Skinny Wolves bring Sun Araw to The Joinery in Dublin tomorrow night (Nov 26th), and there's a stellar supporting cast: Niamh De Barra, Whirling Hall Of Knives and Reptile Brain. De Barra's Cusp EP was recently released on Second Square To None:
5 Nov with ANIMAL DISCO and DD/MM/YYYY Auntie Annies, Belfast 12 Nov with Trumpets Of Jericho Quad, Cork 13 Nov "HAUNTED LIGHT" LP Launch with Meljoann, Catscars +White Plague Djs Workman's Club, Wellington Quay, Dublin
It's great to be proven wrong by a band. First time that I saw Cap Pas Cap live, I didn't rate them at all, it just seemed to be unremarkable new-wave shape-throwing. Fast-forward to the Liars gig in Whelan's earlier on this year, where both these guys and Logikparty gave the New Yorkers a serious run for their money with two excellent support sets. Cap Pas Cap's sound seemed to have an extra kick to it, edgy and dark, with some irresistible basslines anchoring their tunes.
Expectations for debut LP Haunted Light are pretty high then. Opening/lead track 'Mirrors' doesn't waste any time, laying down a throbbing groove: it's sleek but there's an unmistakeable layer of scuzz there too. Their sound is reminiscent - certainly vocals-wise - of CSS or New Young Pony Club, but it's less pop-oriented and there's a murkier vibe to it. 'We Are Men' continues in the same vein: one of their older tunes, it'll probably be familiar to many, but it still sounds fantastic here, with a pounding, relentless, low-end-heavy assault.
Arguably the standout track on Haunted Light is 'Friends', which is driven along by a massively infectious groove and complemented by deadpan, attitude-drenched vocals. It's bound to be a live favourite. Quickly following it is 'Hearts', which shows another side to the band: airy, atmospheric and sinister-sounding, it might slow things down tempo-wise but its nocturnal vibe fits right in. Elsewhere, 'Y Lies' adds fuzzy guitars to the mix with what's probably the heaviest 'rock' number on the album.
Haunted Light isn't flawless by any means, and things can get a bit samey here and there, but there's lots to love and the album's well worth investigation. It's out November 12th, with the album launch in The Workman's Club the following night. Pre-orders are available now from Skinny Wolves: http://www.skinnywolves.bigcartel.com/product/wolf006-cap-pas-cap-haunted-light-cassette
5 Nov with ANIMAL DISCO and DD/MM/YYYY Auntie Annies, Belfast 12 Nov with Trumpets Of Jericho Quad, Cork 13 Nov "HAUNTED LIGHT" LP Launch with Meljoann, Catscars +White Plague Djs Workman's Club, Wellington Quay, Dublin
27 Nov Roisin Dubh, Galway
Check out the mix the band did for Skinny Wolves, which gets a major thumbs up for including one of the most underrated New Order songs, 'Chosen Time':
Did somebody say New Order and 'Chosen Time'? Check out this footage of New Order in one of their earliest live shows after the death of Ian Curtis. Fascinating stuff:
'Taurean Nature' is taken from Former Ghosts' much-anticipated second album New Love, which sees release November 9th, 2010 on Upset The Rhythm. The compellingly dark, goth-tinged project of Freddie Ruppert, with contributions from Jamie Stewart of Xiu Xiu, Nika Rosa Danilova aka Zola Jesus, and Yasmine Kittles of TEARIST, Former Ghosts will be playing with Xiu Xiu themselves this Friday night in The Grand Social, Dublin as part of the Darklight Festival (with other guests to be announced). It's a Skinny Wolves-curated affair and promises to be a superb gig.
(via Pitchfork)
Freddie Ruppert has also made a free preview mixtape available on the Former Ghosts blog, and there's some great stuff on it so it's well worth downloading. http://www.formerghosts.com/
On the subject of Skinny Wolves, their latest mix was put together by Children Under Hoof and is absolutely superb stuff: taking in PJ Harvey, Silver Apples, Thread Pulls, New Order covering Keith Hudson for John Peel and a slowed-down version of a HEALTH/Pictureplane remix. Download it now:
Dublin-based record label Skinny Wolves have compiled eleven mixes from 2010 compiled for them by various bands, including new ones from Cap Pas Cap and Somadrome.
These Are Powers play at Andrew's Lane Theatre with support from Cap Pas Cap, Thread Pulls and Grey Mayhem next Thursday July 29th. It's a late show, tickets 13 euro.
Very exciting news. Brooklyn-based Telepathe will be playing a show in Whelan's on August 14th, courtesy of Skinny Wolves (who've previously released a split 7" featuring Telepathe and Effi Briest reworking eachother's tracks). The duo - Busy Gangnes and Melissa Livaudis - released the excellent Dance Mother last year, a record of sublime minimal avant-pop that was produced by TV on the Radio's David Sitek.
