The use of lo-fi methods is motivated by various reasons: often it is the lack of funds for professional recording, but also a deliberate striving for rawer aesthetics. Even though many lo-fi recordings refer to obscured, or non-existent talent (depending on how musical the results are themselves), it is hard to imagine the work of some of the notable lo-fi artists being captured by the professional recording equipment. For Lauri Sommer's bedroom project Kago, homespun charm is also important. Third album Mopskassi Maja is so far his best work. As on the previous two albums, Sommer combines poetic folk-indie, seto folk music and Pastacas-styled bedroom electro-acoustica. Mopskassi Maja is more charming and endearing though, especially thanks to the vocal presence of Sommer's girlfriend Liska Keerberg. The voices of her and Sommer himself may sound out of tune with each other on the a cappella folk song "Laevapuu", but nonetheless the voices match each other quite well and this lends the rendition a hypnotic effect on its own. This record works well with autumnal moods.
Showing posts with label Folk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Folk. Show all posts
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Kago - Mopskassi Maja
The use of lo-fi methods is motivated by various reasons: often it is the lack of funds for professional recording, but also a deliberate striving for rawer aesthetics. Even though many lo-fi recordings refer to obscured, or non-existent talent (depending on how musical the results are themselves), it is hard to imagine the work of some of the notable lo-fi artists being captured by the professional recording equipment. For Lauri Sommer's bedroom project Kago, homespun charm is also important. Third album Mopskassi Maja is so far his best work. As on the previous two albums, Sommer combines poetic folk-indie, seto folk music and Pastacas-styled bedroom electro-acoustica. Mopskassi Maja is more charming and endearing though, especially thanks to the vocal presence of Sommer's girlfriend Liska Keerberg. The voices of her and Sommer himself may sound out of tune with each other on the a cappella folk song "Laevapuu", but nonetheless the voices match each other quite well and this lends the rendition a hypnotic effect on its own. This record works well with autumnal moods.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Adem - Takes
Adem Ilhan is a British indie-folk musician of Turkish origin, whose background includes membership in Fridge (an early band of Kieran Hebden later known as Four Tet). As a multi-instrumentalist he plays all of the instruments himself, often utilizing various broken instruments rescued from flea market. Takes is Adem's tribute album to his favorite music from 1991-2001. He has taken on reputable indie heavyweights such as PJ Harvey, dEUS, Yo La Tengo, Breeders etc, but also Aphex Twin, Tortoise and Björk. The most interesting cover song is his rendition of Aphex Twin's "To Cure A Weakling Child/Boy Girl Song", which is very reminiscent of Penguin Cafe Orchestra. "Gamera" from post-rock eclectics Tortoise becomes a John Fahey-esque acoustic guitar number. Mostly the covers here sound like indie rock anthems unplugged. Although well done, occasionally the record veers into boredom and in general the cover/tribute albums can safely be written off as curious projects rather than endeavors on par with albums containing original material.*This review was published in Estonian in a journal called Postimees. This is the English translation
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