Precious Systems

MJ Guider is New Orleans' Melissa Guion, and this is her first LP following a tape on Constellation Tatsu. It sounds kind of like Grouper fronting Cocteau Twins in a very humid place; the guitars, synth textures, and vocals are all extremely deep and reverberant. Guion says this record has its seeds in science fiction and “the juxtaposition of the natural with industrial and commercial constructs” in her hometown. This is a cryptic, murky, ambient mutation of new wave which swaps out chilliness in favor of extreme heat. I love it. Favorites: 1, 2, 3, 8, 9. No FCCs detected.

1. *(5:36)—Slow, intense. Buzzing synths give way to limpid drones and a cavernous, minimal beat. Really catchy.
2. *(3:40)—Fast, propulsive, suspenseful. Something about “drives the driver.” Reminds me of Disappears' “Elite Typical.”
3. *(2:42)—Ambient, beatless, deep, and beautiful.
4. (3:33)—Slow, dark, with a vintage new wave beat. Warped percussion and beaming synths.
5. (1:55)—Beatless. Deep and dreamy like track 3, but more menacing.
6. (3:26)—Beatless. Electronic piano, layered vocals, deep drone.
7. (4:32)—Really slow, like watching a VHS at 1/10th speed.
8. *(10:24)—Spaced-out, introverted, watery house. Four-on-the-floor beat pans across the stereo field. A little off-kilter, very gauzy. “Wake up, wake up.”
9. *(4:20)—Medium-slow, languid. The poppiest song on here. Gorgeous, very Cocteau Twins, except with deeper and less prominent vocals.