15 October 2005

VIVAHEAD "Cosmic Dunce" UK 2003


(Pulper Music 04, CDr)

If Tricky had a Henry Cow stepchild living with the eyeball kings, this is the electronica-infested horse it rides on. Upon inspection, all teeth are coming up golden, chomping at the glittering bit. Slipping in and out of mixed expression, these blokes intimate a private space that is heady and magnetically engaging by turns. Avant-garde interludes elongate the overall effect, gluing together keen compositional prowess along the corridor of deft and intelligently executed trip-hop stylings. Flowing effervescently out of context, minimalist escapades allow the air to bubble and breathe between jaggedly contrapuntal peaks of syncopated funky excursion. Amalgamating these modes bridges together seemingly unrelated bites of well-formulated song craft - periodically incorporating a vocoder droid in concert with various squelchy bird calls sets this electronic jungle in place.

The awkward beauty of classic 70s era Residents is evoked on more than one occasion, finessed and updated to integrate well with the times. Beats are smartly selected, throbbing staccato rhythms pound the terrain with ease as curiously introspective tinkles of thought arise and become referenced as sublime melodic lines over top. Grappling sonic strains eking from the atmosphere somehow brings their music back down to earth. Part of their strength resides in extending structures within piscine pieces.

Vivahead have created a world of their own, clearly evidenced here, the fourth release (of six) from this daring British duo. Filling distinctly separate voids within the confines of one album is certainly no lean feat. Marveling at what they have accomplished is not difficult.

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