Record Store Day Residue - Toro Y Moi/Cloud Nothings,Beach Fossils/Wild Nothing

Here are two more nice packages (both splits) that were brought out over Record Store Day last month...

First up is Gruesome Flowers: A Tribute To The Wake (out through Captured Tracks), the split 7" by likeminded lo-fi troubadours Beach Fossils and Wild Nothing. These tracks, following on from their team up on track 'Out In The Way', are beautiful examples of what these kids are capable of, with Beach Fossils' 'Plastic Flowers' offering a nice slice of sunny pop whilst 'Gruesome Castle' is more akin to the melancholy shimmers that is indicative of Jack Tatum's signature sound. Even if you haven't heard of The Wake, after hearing these two covers you will be scrambling for the reissues of this Scottish forgotten indie band.

Beach Fossils - Plastic Flowers
Wild Nothing - Gruesome Castle

This second 7" split release (courtesy of Carpark Records) is in a similar vein, as you'd expect from Chaz Bundick and Dylan Baldi AKA Toro Y Moi and Cloud Nothings. The two tracks, again, are what you'd expect from these participants - 'For No Reason' is Cloud Nothings at their infectious best (seriously, I shouldn't like these guys, but they are proving to be a major vice of mine!) whilst Toro Y Moi furthers the slinky smooth synth sounds displayed on this year's album Underneath The Pine on the track 'I Will Talk To You'.

Toro Y Moi - I Will Talk To You
Cloud Nothings - For No Reason

Braiding Plath's Pubis...

I was willing to dismiss Braids on the notion that the advance hype surrounding the release of Native Speaker was so large as to almost guarntee that it was overblown and likely a massive disappointment. Yet in the space of two days a few weeks ago I was forced to rethink my admittedly baseless assumptions when I was shipped the album to review for a magazine as well as the video sent as a thank you for a favour I did. Now Tanya, Im not sure whether sharing a Youtube clip actually works as payment for services rendered - but I am in your debt, as the song is fantastic and is guaranteed to get into your head. The clip is decidedly Animal Collective oriented (one post on YouTube stated that "no vaginas were harmed in the making of this video" which made me lose it for some reason...), but really the comparisons should end there. Just listen to it then get over and buy the album - its a good un.

Braids are currently touring around the US with Toro Y Moi. They will be stopping over at the Lexington in London on May 24 - tickets available here.

Gig - Toro Y Moi/Oh Ye Denver Birds, Woodland (Brisbane), 24.02.11

Having seen seminal Australian punk band The Onyas play their final Brisbane show ever at Woodland a few weeks ago, I am a bit wary of what the night will entail. The relatively new music venue is one to be respected – the more we have and champion, the better – but the muddiness of the sound and pure volume displayed last time does not bode well for an artist that has musical nuance and, well, a lot of synth. I really hope that the PA – and the people behind it – know what they are doing…

So it is up to opening act Oh Ye Denver Birds to allay my fears. This young energetic Brisbane band has been stirring the musical waters of late, with favourable results, and they don’t disappoint tonight either. The opening track – a welcome if disorientating woozy psychedelic ramble – is overtaken by infectious abandon. Spiky guitar precision is married with afro-beat drumming, incessant synth noodling and the interplay between Dom and Katherine. Dom in particular effuses the crowd with rampant energy, coming across as a mixture of an inexperienced James Murphy and rockier Cameron Bird from Architecture In Helsinki. The sound is strongly steeped in Animal Collective territory, with slight nods to brethren Akron/Family, and whilst these tunes don’t hold the individuality and quirky genius these forebears have in spades, the band finish their short set with rapturous applause. Definitely a quality act in the making.

But we are are all here for one person and one person only – Chazwick Bundick, otherwise known as chillwave pioneer Toro Y Moi. And that is with trepidation as well as anticipation – as the first album, the much lauded Causers Of This, is a wandering bedroom pop project made primarily with computers, thus without audience participation considered in its conception. But as Toro Y Moi – now fleshed out as a full live band – shuffle on stage and kick off, it is clear that Bundick has learnt from this, having become a great entertainer in the process. The set sticks predominantly with new material from decidedly funkier sophomore effort Underneath The Pine, and is all the better for it, showing off Bundick’s growing dexterity with the keyboard and effects whilst allowing the band to fill out the sound, most notably in funkadelic opener ‘New Beat’, the addictive ‘Still Sound’ and the effusive ‘Low Shoulder’. And although the songs are explicitly about getting your groove on (which a lot of punters do with abandon, some seemingly against their own will), Bundick stays calm and cool throughout, his soothing vocals washing over the tracks and keeping them in check. In fact, this is the only criticism I have – I hoped that they would bust out in some cathartic wig out, to shirk this calm veneer even for a second – but it never eventuated. In its stead we have a short concise set of amiable soul and endearing synth, all commanded over with a certain degree of innate coolness by its young mastermind. There is no encore, which keeps the set decidedly short, but I don’t think anyone noticed – everyone’s appetite is effectively sated.

And Woodland also gets the thumbs up – the sound isn’t crystalline, but it serves its intended purpose. Here’s hoping the venue will grow into a local music institution – with this show as its foundation.

Toro Y Moi - Still Sound

Interview - Toro Y Moi

Its the third month of 2011, and I thought it was about time we started reaching out and touching someone. That someone was Toro Y Moi AKA Chaz Bundick, and instead of throwing punches or making charges, he humoured us as we quizzed him about the oft-chagrined (at least here at Sonic Masala) chillwave movement, his new album Underneath The Pine, touring with a live band and possible future vocal collaborations. Oh, and the fact that we may repeat on him a bit...

SONIC MASALA - Im going to try and avoid as many obvious questions as possible, but I do have to start with this, sorry! Underneath The Pine is a markedly different beast than Causers Of This - was this a deliberate ploy to distance yourself from the chillwave movement that was attributed to you?

TORO Y MOI - In a way it was intentional. I didnt want to make the same album twice in a row so I already knew what I wasnt going to do. But when it came to making this album I just wanted to make an album that would show a logical transition–which led to me exploring cosmic jazz and funk, and soft rock.

SM - What are your thoughts then on the massive focus on this particular sound?

TYM - I was thinking about drum sounds and different synths mostly. And I focused on certain chord progressions. That's it!

SM - Underneath The Pine is unabashedly different from most of your other releases thus far – a much more funky, soulful edge, with the occasional 60s psych pop inflection (in my opinion!) - what were your musical foundations?

TYM - Pretty much all of those things you just listed (laughs). I was interested in the way music sounds from those time periods. Its not as compressed but I was still able to be powerful and lush.

SM - What about the songs themselves – do you delve into personal experiences for your influences, or is there another technique at play?

TYM - I felt like I became a better keyboard player since i started tour in the summer of 2009, so that helped me become more confident in writing new piano parts. I was really curious to find out more about key-changes and if I could make them work in my music.

SM - Your artwork for the new album has received some interesting responses over the past few weeks. What was the genesis behind it?

TYM - I felt it fit the sound of the new album because it was intimate and detailed, and the overall image isnt as dark as Causers (first album Causers Of This). The pomelo in my mouth is what is confusing most people. It was given to me on my birthday, I feel like some meaning could come out of that too, but Im not trying to dig too deep into it.

SM - Lets dig a bit deeper then! How does Underneath The Pine represent you, Chaz Bundick, at this point in your life, both musically and personally speaking?

TYM - Well, thinking about the pomelo being a birthday present, I could see how this album could represent the unveiling of another side of my songwriting...even though I've recorded live instruments before, I feel like this is an official presentation.

SM - Much has been made of the more traditional live instrumentation that these tracks deliver – how does the use of a live band enhance the Toro Y Moi sound?

TYM - It helps a lot. Im able to get my ideas across live better when I write songs that were meant to be played live. I think I found that out quickly when I had to play Causers live.

SM - How has the live experience changed over the time from being a one-man project to including a band of musicians into the fold? How does it flavour your older, more confessional tracks?

TYM - I think it's a lot better and more interesting to watch. I feel that most people are familiar with the recordings, so why would you pay or want to hear the same exact thing coming from a computer? Using instruments is what my background is and is what Im comfortable with.

SM - You are about to tie up your tour here in Australia – how do you feel it has gone down? Any particular highlights?

TYM - I think my favourite part was Sydney. We got to play two shows in the same venue, which makes things easier. Also it was great to know that all of the Australian shows were sold out - pretty amazing actually.

SM - What’s next in the world of Toro Y Moi? Any collaborations you would like to set up?

TYM - Just to make more music, whenever I can. Nothing in way of collaborations at the moment, maybe some MCs though in the near future...

SM - Finally – what is sonic masala?

TYM - A really stinky fart!



Not sure what to think about that - we do like it spicy though. Toro Y Moi is playing SXSW in a couple weeks' time before touring Stateside with Braids and Cloud Nothings. May will see TYM enter the UK to participate in the Stag & Dagger Festival (London, May 19) alongside Wire plus heaps more to be announced (lineup hasnt officially been announced yet - a bit of a coup for you!)

Toro Y Moi - New Beat
Toro Y Moi - Still Sound

Toro Y Moi @ Woodland Tonight

Got nothing to do tonight in Brisbaneland? South Carolina devotee and chillwave progenitor Toro Y Moi is playing at Woodland, and he brings US experimental minimalists High Places in tow. It promises to be a great night - you can buy advance tix here, or its $30 on the door.

Toro Y Moi - New Beat
High Places - On Giving Up

Dont Put Moi Underneath The Pine

Chazwick Bundick hasnt graced the hallowed halls here yet, which is probably not a surprise. What may raise some eyebrows is the fact that neither has his musical stage name made an impact here. Toro Y Moi has been the toast of the blog intelligentsia over the past twelve months, and for whatever reason I have been able (or willing) to let his musical stylings slide by. Now there is a reason why all hyped bands do not make these pages - Bear In Heaven, seriously, what the fuck? - and especially as for some time (and in some some quarters it is still insistent) that he is part of the chillwave movement. Im not against chillwave at all - apart from the name of course - but there are too many bands lumped in this genre who offer absolutely nothing other than some elongated samples, effects noodling...and no soul. They are blatantly enveloped by the notion that being hip is all it takes - and with his current album being streamed on the Urban Outfitter's website, Toro Y Moi is teetering perilously close to that abyss.

That said, Underneath The Pine (out through Carpark Records 22nd February) blew all preconceptions out of the ballpark. It is a beautiful progression out of the vexed chillwave into a much warmer, soulful place, where melody and song structure holds sway with a definitive wink and nod to 70s funk, with some 60s psych pop colouring the edges. The album is more complete than his counterparts have shown over the past year, which is helped in no small part by acquiring live instrumentation. Songs like 'How I Know' and 'New Beat' brings Jackson 5 kicking and screaming into the 21st century, before busting out the boogie; whereas 'Good Hold' is a warped piano ballad that trips just left of the rainbow fields; 'Before Im Done' is Elliott Smith if he'd grown up in 1960s California; and 'Divina' has a decidedly psychedelic guitar groan at the beginning before become a sunkissed meandering pop track a la John Lennon (!). Yet every track here is bound by two factors - the shimmering soundscapes of the sadly-named chillwave movement, and a decidedly overt basis in funk and soul that pushes each song to a danceable limit. Even the aforementioned 'Divina' will have you swaying like a cloudy-minded hippie -

Now I cannot write off anything that has come before now, being a TYM virgin before now, but Underneath The Pine celebrates both the origins of his synth laden sounds and the record collections of his youth in a beautiful transmogrification of a "then is now" dynamic. This elevates itself above the ambient nadir that chillwave has inevitably become, and chooses to embrace the future. Toro Y Moi may have been besmirched by the notion that he helped start this stylistic zeitgeist (along with Washed Out, who are another amazing band that are undeserved of the ball-and-chain elements of the genre moniker), but he has broken these shackles to shine in the spotlight - or, surprisingly, the centre of the dancefloor.

Toro Y Moi is about to embark on an Australian tour, where he'll touch down at Brisbane's Woodland on February 24th (buy tix here), just before the Queensland capital is inundated with hardcore pundits vouching for the Soundwave festival and all it contains. If you want to get your shimmery groove on, this will be the time! He toured the UK at the end of 2010, but he will be breezing his way through there again later in the year.

Underneath The Pine is out February 22nd.

Toro Y Moi - New Beat
Toro Y Moi - How I Know