Well it's not exactly new music, but this past October a personal favorite of mine dropped this fascinating little album, and since I just got the chance to listen to it I figured I'd do him a favor and drop a little post promoting it.
Otem Rellik is the Colorado based soft folk electronic rap circuit bender who's otherworldly production and depressingly beautiful vocals have been behind some of my most favorite songs for feeling sad. Blood Bone Piano actually made my list of my top ten albums of the decade because Otem Rellik is not only original and one of a kind, he's also been progressing towards an accessibility that I think would make him a staple for any indie music fans iTunes and that album was essentially a perfect blend of original and catchy.
I was never a huge fan of his older material, but starting with Elephant Graveyard back in 2010 and beyond I've really found his music both interesting and infectious. "Sour Segments" really impressed me with it's heart and mournful beauty for example, and actually really made me feel better through what was essentially one of the worst years of my life (2011).
So I've been annoying him about a new album for four years since unbroken&unheard with Bandcamp messages and he's finally delivered. What do I think? Well, Rellik's ingenuity for circuit bending has hit new heights with this one. Songs like "After School Special" really display a lush array of unusual sounds, used in very effective ways. Listening to the album with surround sound is a must. I can honestly say I have no idea where some of his synths come from but I guarantee you will be drawn in to the dreamy world he creates with them.
Lyrically he's as he always is, writing songs about nostalgia, heartbreak and loss sprinkled with hope. He's leaned more towards digitally altering his vocals which is unnecessary given his unique singing voice, but I guess my aging ass can tolerate a little autotune in the spirit of surreal sonic world building. I actually find myself thinking that given the recent revelations about Astronautalis (who Rellik has worked with and belongs to the same genre camp of folky indie pop rap), Rellik is really a good fit for those of us who really really miss that irreverent genre bending sound. Dammit Astro, why did you have to turn out to be such a dirtbag....?
Anyway it's not all rosy with them album, although I will say I did like it a lot. My biggest complaint is the lack of any songs that particularly resonate and have me hitting the back button all day. "Blood Bone Piano", the title track from the aforementioned album was one of those, as was "Sour Segments" and "The Back Catalogue of Broken Teeth" from his last album. Maybe that will change, and it may be a good thing as there may just be too much going on to really get these songs with the single listen I've had time to give them. Then again it may be that there is a bit more atmosphere than songwriting here, although I do need to say again that I liked this work. I've come to realize as a hardcore music fan that my response to a given album is likely to bounce around depending on my mood, what I'm doing and how I'm listening. So if you're looking for a simple yes or no, yes, give this one a shot. It's cool, showcases some daring stylistic elements and repurposing of toys in bizarre ways, and does contain some truly beautiful songs. Just because I haven't started singing along yet doesn't mean I won't.
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