Black Metal

Genre: black metal(?), ???, outsider art, post-internet

Former Inga Copeland collaborator finds himself on a hot streak. Earning some critical acclaim with 2013’s The Redeemer (factmag’s #1 aoty…), Blunt then continued his run of bricolage breakup record with a mysterious Russian release called Stone Island and a new mixtape this year. Political, dreamy, menacing, and often beautiful, Black Metal is the culmination of Blunt's bizarre musical world. A new favorite for insomniacs everywhere. Male vocals throughout with help from folk-chanteuse Joanne Robertson on many tracks.

Others: Dirty Beaches, James Ferraro, Hype Williams

FCCs: 2, 4, 8, 11. Favorites: 1, 5, 6, 9, 12, 13

1. (1:58) *** indie folk guitar and canned drums but then gorgeous string samples that swirl around Blunt’s vocals…awesome opener wow
2. (2:36) FCC ("n***a") bluesy guitar + drum machine action. Features the dreamy vocals of Joanne Robertson. Shame about the FCC.
3. (2:31) Acoustic guitar and dry vocals from Blunt. Lonely, mournful song.
4. (3:21) (FCC brief "bullshit”) OH WOW. This is top-notch beautiful outsider art right here. Duet between Blunt and Robertson. I want to live in this song.
5. (1:59) ** Cascading strings, echo-y drums, odd piano…blunt singing through the fog.
6. (4:06) *** Ghost-folk. Most sentimental, emotionally direct track on the album. Robertson + Blunt duet again.
7. (13:00) * Abstract…smoky wayward vocals from Robertson…piano piano piano…saxophone…sure to be a staple of late night radio
8. (8:54) FCC (“f*ck”) Ambient hum, some guitar noodling. Then dubby drum machine and vocals come ~3 minutes in. Sonic partner to previous track.
9. (2:35) ** Nice little bass-line and r&b drums.
10. (2:11) Instrumental. Noisy, disorienting. Little Mac blips of Blunt turning down the volume…who needs the fourth wall anyway?
11. (1:16) FCC ("n***a”) I really like this one…too bad about the FCC. Nice little start/stop dynamic. Too short.
12. (3:26) ** Drum machine intro. Queasy bass. Low mumbled vocals from Blunt. Cool synth work.
13. (4:45) ** Same as the last track on Skin Fade mixtape. Skronky saxophone. Cluttered drum beat. Dean Blunt vs. Evil