Botany is the fresh handle for Spencer Stephenson A.K.A, Abacus, A.K.A, ex drummer for bliss outfit Sleep Whale, A.K.A, the best thing out of Denton Texas since 1971 miss America winner Phyliss George.
With a new name comes a new body of work in the form of Western Vinyl’s latest offering ‘Feeling Today’. Although neatly in the same vein as his former forays, the stimulus of a fresh label signing seem to have allowed him a renewed sense of scope and a springboard toward apt recognition.
The E.P’s opening gambit, title track ‘Feeling Today’, sets the motif as it lulls you into an appropriate sense of security with friendly chords, etherial wailing and a succinct but meaningful chorus. It’s slightly off kilter soundtrack of hand chimes, a subtle boom bap and the occasional interjection of undeterminable speech provide just enough impetus to refrain from a bliss pop daze. Unlike those he draws from, it seems Stephenson favours keeping things simple and his work is all the better for it.
His self professed influences from the likes of Four Tet and Caribou are apparent but never obtrusive. Jarring sounds are used sparingly and with purpose and are reigned in by a tight and remarkably solid production ethic.
Tracks such as ‘Minnow Theme’ and ‘Benefactress’, each have a gait that appears more unwieldy than the rest with ever so slightly stuttered beats, delayed muted shrieks and reversed metallic tones which sit alongside cascading harps, wind chimes and transposed vocal drones.
The remaining two offerings ‘Waterparker’ and ‘Agave’ appear to have their earthy samples diluted by solid beats and welcomed nods to more truncated artists like Blockhead and Bullion. It’s this, albeit, mild juxtaposition that suggests something deeper but it’s their easily accessible melodies that keep you safely in the shallows.
There seems to be little pretension in Stephensons work and his lush soundscapes are neatly contained in little ribboned packages no larger than 4 minutes and 2 seconds long and exemplify the end product of a rather grounded and realistic artist creating lofty, interesting work.
At the brink of over-saturation in the field of wonderfully glitchy, dreamily electronic, stumbling, ‘post Hip-Hop’ beats it seems wholly appropriate to stand up and take heed to an artist who favours a more organic and syncopated approach to their work. If not only to prevent people from using ridiculous terms like ‘post Hip-Hop’.
‘Feeling Today’ is available on Western Vinyl from November 9th with a
full LP landing Spring 2011.
www.westernvinyl.com
Botany - Waterparker by snipelondon
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