| The thought of a former Beachwood Spark collaborating with a hip-hop mogul is enough to elicit a doubtful shrug, considering that many attempts to splice rap into other forms have ended disastrously (hippie jam/nu metal bands, lay down the mic forever, please!). But founding Spark Chris Gunst has forged a new identity with Mystic Chords of Memory. Their self-titled debut album flashed glimpses of Gunst's former act and pan-fried them in a mood completely alien, a wondrous pastiche of ideas that pittered along bare keys and its namesake's throaty gurgle. With Nobody manning the beats and atmospherics and Gunst concentrating on lyrics, vocals, and splashes of synth and guitar, a delicate balance is struck that counteracts the presence of a few middle-of-the-road compositions. To its credit, Tree Colored See doesn't come off as generic as it should (a.k.a. a country band trying to work a turntablist into the mix). This isn't a fish-out-of-water one-off nor a lost indie rocker trying to up his cred by delving into hip-hop. Conversely, Gunst's unique take on alt-country, Americana, and folk dominates each of the 11 tracks, most of them supped-up doppelgangers to something he might have recorded on his own, save the Fof-like "Walk in the After Light," the warp-speed skip of "Softer Sail," and the lukewarm "Feet Upon the Sand." It's not that Nobody doesn't contribute, it's that he makes his presence felt without lending a generic-sounding element to a by-most-accounts retro-fitted ensemble. The outcome is lovely, couched in Gunst's unique voicings and Nobody's chameleonic abilities. It's a wonder this sort of collaboration has never been envisioned before, but considering the huge potential downside to such a project, maybe it's for the best. - Skyscraper |
1XLP/Out Of Print