Electric Birds - Gradations
(Mille Plateaux)
Electric Birds - Zealectronic Green 7"
(Zeal)
Mike Martinez, the man behind Electric Birds, and co-owner of Deluxe Records, has quietly been releasing a steady stream of homemade electronic music for a couple of years now, at first in San Francisco, and now from his base in Seattle.
His first efforts culminated in the release of his self titled LP in 2000, which was full of Steve Reich-ian exercises in pointillism, acoustic guitar backdrops and all kinds of cut up mishaps care of Matmos, who lent a helping hand in the production of the LP. Gradations is Martinez's third full length, and on it, he seems more comfortable at home than ever. It's an open, relaxed LP, chalked full of simple, elegant guitar melodies that vie for space between quirky synth lines and digital fallout. The orchestrations are delicate and crafted, no doubt skills Martinez learned while spending his time in rocks band in California before picking up a laptop. Tracks such as "Radia" and the title track have definite nods to the German dance floor via the ambient workouts of Gas, et al. While tracks like "Cyclist" and "Nightriders" bring to mind the populated spaces and shifty rhythms of Jan Jalenick, Pole, and Vladislav Delay. Not bad company, and Martinez fortunately seems mindful of his influences, but doesn't let them overshadow what he's got to say.
Similarly his 7" for Belgium's Zeal records plays out like an overdriven dub 45 that can't seem to find its rhythm. Skittering sounds litter the A side of the 7" and don't really find their place until the B side, when they coalesce around a driving beat and beautifully stated melody.
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