Psychic 9-5 Club

This downtempo electronic duo works in company with cousin Melbourne groups like Standish/Carlyon, My Disco, and New War, so the sound of this album is appropriately shadowy. But this album inhabits far more relaxed places than any of the above groups (save Standish/Carylon’s quietest moments). Too slow and ascetic to be regular pop or dance music, these pieces resemble chill electronic koans, with lyrical and musical fragments that circle back on themselves indefinitely. Music for lounges with aquariums and soft violet lights. All tracks are some degree of slow. Favorites: 2, 4, 7, 8. No FCCs.

1. (3:48)—Very slow, ominous, bass-heavy—a trunk rattler heard in a dream.
2. *(4:49)—Sharper, more propulsive, but still calm.
3. (4:42)—Instrumental. Dubby, funky, with some samples of laughter.
4. *(3:47)—Gleaming melancholy. Very pretty, approaching ambient territory.
5. (5:16)—More robotic. Percussion is busy but not driving.
6. (7:18)—Longer but sedate all the way through. Buzzy synths.
7. *(5:28)—Heavier low-end. Slinking through dark alleyways.
8. *(5:29)—Minimal beat. The low-light synths are especially seductive. Ambient outro. My favorite.

narcissistic and genuinely sexy downtempo/triphop release from HTRK (pronounced “hate rock”), an australian noiserock trio. characterized by slowed-down 808s, scratchy house sounds, female vocals, and big bass. recommended if you like Portishead, Sade.
1. bouncing drums, ultra low/slow baseline and 808 riff. “this time, i’m going to love you much better”
2. scratchy house drum/pad patterns, echoing drums, clear Sade vocals. not a standout here.
3. instrumental. more deep, in-your-gut bass drumwork. an airy three-note synth riff carries through song.
4. brittle drum hits fade in and out, minimal and excellent synthesizer threading around her vocals.
5. repeating bass drum hit for almost the entire song, handclaps, her vocals layered in rare moment for the album (“i’m in love with myself”). titled “wet dream,” maybe an fcc problem.
***6. one of my favorite songs so far this year, the gem on this album. fades in with big arena drums, beautifully sculpted organ tones, quiet storm vocals. finishes with unexpected woodwind/noise flourishes in second half.
***7. movie score bass synths over clipping sub-bass, overtaken by higher synth wash at the end. distorted/alluring vocals are my favorite on the album.
8. propelled by simple, plodding drum beat and electric bass. their noiserock roots shine through in the background drone. more standout vocals with rare spoken work moments.