Yellow6 - Lake:Desert
(Ochre)
Yellow6 - Decay:Repeat
(TeleRAN)
If you regularly read fakejazz, undoubtedly you have seen numerous reviews for the wonderful UK artist Yellow6. With all of the positive comments he gets, you might think that Jon Attwood (who is Yellow6) was one of our brother's sister's friends, or that he owned the magazine and would fire the writers if we didn't write nice things about his music regularly. But, the simple fact is that a lot of the reviewers here at fakejazz just love his beautifully calming music and just can't seem to get enough of it.
And, as shocking as I am sure you will find this, I will go ahead and let you know now that I am giving both Lake:Desert, Yellow6's latest full-length album on the UK's Ochre Records, and Decay:Repeat, a new 3" CD, really positive reviews. In fact, I quite simply think Lake:Desert is Attwood's best album to date, combining lush guitar drones, multiple picked guitar lines (acoustic and electric), synth and piano melodies, soothing atmospheric soundscapes, and tasteful (and usually buried) electronic drums. And, if you are less than enthusiastic about drum machines in most music, don't worry, I am not generally a fan of electronic beats either, but somehow Attwood always seems to make it work.
With Lake:Desert, Attwood wanders into darker territory than his previous releases, creating music that is more brooding and shadowy. Focusing more on minor keys, a lot of the songs including "Hardwire," "Post," "Half-Life," and others seem more introspective and compelling, drawing the listener in and clouding their thoughts and focus. Besides the murkier songwriting, Attwood has added more electronic noise hiding beneath the surface of the sounds, and has created more interesting rhythms than in the past by using unique repetition and unusual delay settings on the drums.
Decay:Repeat, a two song, 20 minute 3” CD out on TeleRAN records, continues in the same vein as the album. Whether intentional or not, the second song on the 3”, “Repeat,” seems to perfectly combine the ideas of “Decay:Repeat” with distorted soundscapes fading in and out, over and over, building and disappearing, and floating on top of a simple delayed guitar part hidden underneath their wall of sound.
The overall effect of Lake:Desert and Decay:Repeat is nothing short of breathtaking and awe-inspiring. Must haves for both the initiated and newcomers to Attwood's music.
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