Independent (label)
13 August 2019 (released)
13 August 2019
In the grand scheme of electronica, it's the producers who have honed their craft in the realm of live P.A. performances who tend to make the most mentally stimulating pieces. Their ability to adapt to their stream of consciousness creativity as well as shape music on the spot to suit the audience makes them astounding live musicians up there with any improvising rock band. It's all well and good to put on a DJ performance, they can whip the crowd into a frenzy and keep them dancing for hours but the true creativity doesn't come from resting on your laurels. Letting all the preprogrammed loops play out while you tweak volumes and EQs like a toddler with a bright, shiny toy. True creativity comes from playing music in real-time, that's where real magic can happen.
The Cool Moonmist Mountain Band's Jared Sand embraces the psychedelic and the uplifting on his latest EP Fire Sign. Jubilant vocal samples, whirring and percolating synths and bob and weave bass lines make this record a skin shedding summer classic. Throughout this energetically motivating record, there's a fully chilled out vibe. The mere 13-minute album locks into a zen zone and when put on repeat can make for hours of meditative levity. This is not to say that the records hypnotic nature comes from its repetitiveness because Sand manages to keep the songs constantly evolving with new buzzes and whirrs at every turn.
The opener 'Dope' harkens back to the Dust Brothers soundtrack for Fight Club. Sparse synth stabs interject into tinkling fairy bells. All the while a ripping bass melody snakes throughout to give the track its seedy underbelly. 'Lofi Spliff' is replete with the aforementioned joyful vocal samples with a hip midnight organ and fantasy synth washes. 'Super Automatic' creates the soundscape to a trek through a bioluminescent jungle while 'Let the Dust Settle' finishes the EP with warm flourishes over a bolstering conga beat.
Fire Sign is a groovy over-too-soon EP from this Seattle-based producer. Primed to thrive alongside other favourite downtempo chill records. Put it on repeat and drift away.
