Description
coming to a close. Side B only gets weirder as it hews more closely to Jaars associations with proper dance music. Up to this point, space disco typically meant one thingairy, pretty, generally envisioning a brighter, cleaner future. The Only Shrine Ive Seen and Freak, Go Home imagine what dance music could spring up from our future lunar cities if theyre every bit the dense, intimidating, metal monstrosities they are here on earth, teeming with both life and decay, flesh and rust. The most innovative and intriguing sounds on Psychic are almost entirely dedicated to its rhythm sectionpanned tambourines whizzing through Paper Trails, gooey snares on the hot-buttered closer Metatron, Freak, Go Homes constant fluidity between acoustic and digital percussion. Though Psychic is the kind of immense and immersive experience typically described as monolithic, Jaar and Harrington ensure its more like the bubble gracing its covertranslucent and dense, electrified and organic, holding a form while constantly being prodded into new shapes.
When a record spends this much time reveling in pure sound, its understandable to ask, Wheres the humanity? The most instantly memorable lyric comes on Paper Trails, when Jaar intones I want a house to live in/Baby to take care of, though in that voice of his, you never expect him to mean exactly what he says. Psychic doesnt talk a whole lot about its feelings; true to its title, its not looking for a heart-to-heart so much as a telepathic exchange. And in trying to read Jaar and Harringtons minds, you might think a little differently about things you already know, which can be just as important as being moved. Though the psychedelic density and classic rock touchstones of Psychic are ostensibly a negation of Jaars breakthrough, the quizzical, minimalist Space Is Only Noise, reconsider his intimidating biography and all of a sudden, Darkside makes a ton of sense, establishing connections between listeners and genres rather than pronouncing differencespeople dance to Ricardo Villalobos, start record labels because they want to make music with their friends and, yes, Ivy League kids like to get stoned and listen to Pink Floyd. At least for the duration of Psychic, everything under the sun is in tune. (via Pitchfork)
Live version of “Paper Trails” (note that it is the studio verison on vinyl) performed via Resident Advisor:
Label: Matador, Other People
Format: 2 x Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Album
Released: 2013
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: Downtempo, Ambient, Experimental, Dub
File under: TAV Essential Listening
File under: Electronic // Downtempo, Essentials
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