Dust

Ambient pop with jazz and dance leanings. Berlin-via-Michigan musician Laurel Halo has shed the techno of her previous two releases, In Situ and Chance of Rain, and returned to something closer to her first LP, Quarantine. She collaborated with nine different musicians here on parts including vocals, sax, and cowbell (!) and these flourishes make the record seem especially polyphonic. Dreamy vocals interact with jazzy keys and percussion to make something loose, free, and remarkably strange. Highly recommended!

Related: Kelly Lee Owens, Actress, Oneohtrix Point Never, early Julia Holter
Favorites: 1, 2, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11

1. (5:34) ** Sun to Solar—Bleeps and bloops, tight bass, gorgeous keys. Surreal vox from Laurel layer with soulful male vox. Lyrics adapted from “Servidão de Passagem” by Haroldo de Campos
2. (4:56) ** Jelly—Sweeping electronics, percussion. Laurel’s dreamy vox and a weird playful chorus + male vox towards end. Gliding piano.
3. (2:51) Koinos—Thumping drums, distorted vox. Hollow sound.
4. (1:35) Arschkriecher—Spacey ambient noise, sax, drifts of voice.
5. (4:25) * Moontalk—Fun musical dial tone, laughter, jazzy guitar riffs. Chorus in Japanese.
6. (1:42) Nicht Ohne Risiko—Skittering found sound, glockenspiel.
7. (3:45) Who Won?—Deep male voice recites a monologue. Mournful sax and cloaked, subtle drums.
8. (3:58) * Like an L—Keys and aquatic vox melt into an ethereal atmosphere.
9. (6:30) ** Syzygy—Mid-tempo, sultry jazz-pop. Vox are the main highlight. Refrain “I said get up, I said time for love”
10. (5:15) ** Do U Ever Happen—Slow, dreamy dub feel. Intriguing spoken images. “Do you ever happen?”
11. (3:15) ** Buh-bye—Cosmic swirling keys and loose percussive clatters.