Cock & Swan's (un)Recognition
April 2nd, 2010
Maybe I haven’t been paying attention (which…c’mon), but there seems to be a dearth of good bedroom electronica here in the ol’ Puget Sound region. Am I wrong? I suppose there’s the current curl of the semi-experimental chillwavers, spearheaded locally by the likes of U.S.F., Alaskas, and Big Spider’s Back. But to me, that aesthetic represents a more freak-folkish/glo-fi means to a parallel end (think Strawberry Jam or Psychic Chasms). Cock & Swan, whose avian name—I’ll admit—excites me, just might have something unique and worth recognition on their new record Unrecognize.
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Granted, there are bands I’m reminded of upon first and second listens: Portishead, the Notwist, Neulander, Broadcast. Hell, even “Sunset Burns” has a stuttered, 8-bit Truckasauras quality to it. (FWIW, the band likens themselves to Boards of Canada and Mum). But as with every quality outfit, Cock & Swan mostly just sound like themselves. Johnny Goss and Ola Hungerford are the sidekicks behind the sounds and the two make fine use of soporific, squiggly synths, blurry and beguiling vocals, lonely guitar pluckings, patchwork electro touches, and the omnipresent ghostly undercurrent. Also, it’s a bit witchy. In sound, mostly; take a closer look at Hungerford’s winsome poems and they’re really not so spooky.
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The Bothell-based band mostly keeps to a patient, Tortoise-like pace, save for some spirited moments in “Morning’s Window” and “One Hundred”. Standout track “Goldmine” is buoyed by a fuzzed-out funk of a bass line and synthesizers that crackle like a midnight fire. Hungerford’s wrinkled whisper goes on for miles: “clouds are only part of the sky / skies are really clouds / don’t stay up waiting for the sun / it’s way across the universe”. On “I Let Me In”, Goss’ guitar resembles a requiem from a Spanish dungeon, while a sinister synth line bubbles in the background. And “Remember Sweet” is so woozy and bewildering that you’ll probably forget just how sweet it was.
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The album, densely packed with fifteen buzzing tracks, is cozy and eerie all at the same time. Especially the final 50 seconds, where Hungerford’s childlike chanting is hauntingly severed from the music. The band’s own co-op label, Dandelion Gold, released Unrecognize last week, and the release show is Saturday, April 10th at Ruby Restaurant on University Way. It’s free.
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