Tuesday 5 July 2011

Minting The Unknown Mortals


I mentioned Unknown Mortal Orchestra and their track 'Ffunny Ffrends (New Bounce)' last week as part of my warped dance mixtape. Well there has been a helluva lot of hoopla around the band in the past few weeks, culminating in the release of their selftitled debut album (on Fat Possum). The influence of lead Ruban Neilson's former band, the ace, sad-to-see-you-go NZ noise pop trio The Mint Chicks, is more evident on second track 'Biocycle', yet UMO is a very different kettle of fish, glamming up the punk, infusing it with bizarre dollops of soul, and selling it down the river Styx - and hell, probably to the band Styx too. It jumps genres, more than once per song, falls through the gaffer-taped gaps, claws its way back onto the Yellow Brick Road and keeps on dancing. Unknown Mortal Orchestra really is a yellow-tinged bad acid trip, but one that you will gladly endeavour to undertake time and time again. And the kicker? Its those spaces between that truly brings the money - there is so much to unearth, unpack and unravel here that it will take myriad listens to get the true experience.

Or, its just a fucking great album.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra is out now (Look at that cover art! Genius...). They play tonight in London at the Lexington - get tix here or here!

UMO - Biocycle
UMO - Ffunny Ffrends
UMO - How Can U Luv Me

No comments:

Post a Comment