RAIN KINGS is the name given to the music of Stockholm resident Gustav Hedin. He records exclusively onto cassette tape, layering and masking natural melodies that appear almost haphazardly out of his creations. As a result GHOST SONGS is an entirely appropriate title. The analogue recording techniques give his debut EP a warm fuzziness that invites the listener in but generally produces glimpses of songs rather than fully formed compositions.
It’s certainly refreshing to hear a debut release that bounces with spontaneity, especially when compared to the meticulous digital programming that often characterises artists of this ilk. However, the intentionally primitive recording techniques leave everything fighting for our attention in some kind of murky, groovy soup.
It could be considered music to get lost in. With everything happening at once it’s completely the choice of the listener to decide which pieces of melody or instrumentation to focus on. As each song unfolds over a lengthy duration (the EP contains three tracks and lasts twenty-five minutes), there’s certainly enough time to personally explore the intricacies of the production and fish out new ideas from the sludge. Still, with no real guidance through changes in texture or dynamics, it’s just as easy to let these sound scapes pass you by.
|
Most of the music is propelled by hypnotic percussion (think of a drunk version of the Doctor Who theme and you’re pretty much there) but when nothing else is allowed to jump out and grab your attention, this means the music becomes ignorable rather than engaging. There may be some great ideas lurking in the depths of Rain Kings’ music, particularly the combination of acoustic and electronic instruments that occur throughout, but the feeling is generally that we’re being asked too hard to work for something that might not be worth the required levels of concentration.
|
