Sierpinski - This Geography of Ours
(Jonathon Whiskey)
The drummer for Sierpinski appeared on Hood's 2001 EP Home Is Where It Hurts and the new, more electronic, stuttering direction begun by Hood with this EP is in many ways sympathetic to the music of Sierpinski.
The texture of the music is consistently blurred and hazy, but this distant, aged landscape is punctuated by the brittlest of electronic accents. This contrast is particularly apparent on the third track "Invitation to Smile." Distant drones, smooth guitar chords, and the occasional piano tinkle blend behind tinny electronic stutters, mangled vocal samples and thin beats.
This contrast is less apparent on some tracks where the simpler, warmer textures are allowed to stand on their own such as on "Unreasonable Offer." Guitar, and piano and acoustic drums complete a pleasantly warm, but not bland composition that, while less varied, still complements the more complex elements of the album.
The dichotomy of electric and acoustic, hazy and sharp explored on This Geography of Ours is not undiscovered country, however, Sierpinski achieves a level of competency in this exploration that is uncommon. The album creates a balance between stuttering electronic experimentation and conventional acoustic song writing that can be tenuous, but never becomes overwrought. Ultimately, however, it is not the tension created by this relationship that is striking, but its remarkable cohesiveness.
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