Jon Sheldrick is at the top of his game on this album artfully mixing guitar & keyboard riffs, loops, sound effects, far eastern chants, particles of conversation, electronic and acoustic drama as he moves you through 12 vibrant sonic landscapes.
Fast Break is a prime example of the fuel for the album as expressed in the ecstatic drumming of Alex Backmann. His tasty “a rat a tat tat” drum track pulsates as Sheldricks guitar work lingers in the atmosphere on high. It Can't Slow Down If It Runs sounds like a Radiohead experiment from Kid A but also enjoys moments of poetic chorus with the welcome tenderness of Ali Rulle's voice. Sunday Morning is a drive thru an aquatic landscape with liquid crystal snowflakes and intricate electronic production that tickles the ears. More of this mood can be heard on Sax Rush, a canvas of drama peppered with sax and buzzing loops.
The signature track here is Evolution. On the most accessible progression of the album, the lead guitar dodges and darts amongst the most memorable melody of the lot as many of the same effects and samples from tracks past stop by for a visit. It's a jam that simply makes you feel good. Rainy day New Yorkers will find it a welcome interlude. I don't miss lead vocals much on this album, but I do wonder what a Thom York style vocalist would have sung over this.
This is the first mostly instrumental album we've covered here, so writing a review was especially challenging for this "electro-acoustic-soul music" neophyte. However, I've left Fatty Acid's release with a deeper appreciation for instrumental art. Rendered here so dynamically that words are truly not necessary. The songs are short and production is slick but the impressions will stay with you and keep you coming back to this album for a refreshing listen to all things possible.
