Kelpland Serenades

Dark, atmospheric improvisations primarily for voice, basses and effects. Some of these are even goth-poppy (given the constraints of the style as a whole), and Homler's vocals are often like that of a cross between Ivá Bittová and Diamanda Galas, sans screams. Most of the tracks have a fairly similar feel to one another, which makes compelling descriptions difficult. The vocals are sometimes occasionally song-like and compelling enough that it's hard to believe they're improvised, though since none of them are in English, it's sort of hard to judge.

Best: 6, 8, 9, 12
All tracks FCC clean, though it's possible Homler's saying really obscene stuff in Swedish.

1. Low, haunted-house reverb bass, some fumbling-with-objects sounds and whistle.
2. Primarily solo bass improvisation with an odd electronic timbre. Ends -:08
3. Scratchy sounds and what sounds like highly distorted irregular beatboxing? Second half rather ominous.
4. Voice and bass, mostly in alternation. Homler's vocals are at their least word-like here (though of course it's hard to tell)--like a female Phil Minton. Liebig's bass soloing is rather frenetic, though the track ends on a relaxed note.
5. Fairly quiet & abstract; mostly bass. Some highly distorted vocals in the second half.
6. Compelling, mournful vocal line that makes you wish you could understand the words.
7. Brief near-eastern melody starts us off, then abstract bass doodles with some found percussion (sounds like chains and reeds at parts). The bass part starting around -3:00 has a nice, slow melody; vocals enter soon after. Similar to 6 but, because of the intro, has a more "out" feel.
8. Worried vocals and ominous bass, with some creaks and distortions in the background. Creepy.
9. Music box intro which recurs at various points. Slower vocals here. The music box, when it plays, threatens to give a kind of cheesy feel, but it's not overdone. Great atmospherics; doesn't really build to anything but that's not necessarily bad.
10. Breathless vocals and trills.
11. Bass rumbling in the beginning; some of the more melodic vocals here.
12. Fake birdcall-like noises open it? Sustained overlapping instrumental tones, not unlike Frippertronics. Metal scraping and clattering. Song-like vocals come in in the last three minutes.
13. Begins with some gentle ambience, continues a lot like 6, but more overwrought.