Eyrys
There is one word that comes to mind when listening to this record—texture. It dominates from song one to song eleven. Whether it’s the squealing guitar of ‘the train north’ or the sweet-toned–guitar-picking of ‘heard it outside’ or the keyboard arpeggios on ‘left side carl,’ it’s the subtle things that ultimately make these songs worthy of repeat listenings. This a creeping, slinking recording. And it’s a challenging recording. On a whole, the album has a More/Ummagumma-era Pink Floyd feel to it. I guess that can be attributed to the pastoral songs being backed and augmented by electronic noises. What makes it work is that the mix is such that the digital and organic sounds do not compete with each other. They blend to create a smooth, pleasant, analog/digital hybrid. To properly enjoy this album, I needed to let it seep in with repeated listens. This is not an immediate album. By this I mean that I didn’t get everything the first or second or tenth time I listened to it. Once I’d heard it several times, I was able to better appreciate what was going on. This is an extremely cohesive set of songs. This is not a “modern-blast-the-EQs-and forget it” recording. This is a headphones album! ‘eyrys’ is an apt name for the band and recording. After listening to it the past couple weeks, I’ve felt like this: A seed was planted in the ground. The nutrients and fertilizer and water seeped into the dirt surrounding it. The seed broke and the stem began its slow climb to the air. It poked through and bloomed beautifully. ~l.rabbe
