US project ELECTRIC BIRD NOISE has been around for a good 15 years now, initially a band project but in later years more or less the creative vehicle of composer and instrumentalist Brian Lea McKenzie if I have understood their history correct. “Desert Jelly” is the latest studio album issued by this project, and was released through US label Silber Records in 2013.
The accompanying press blurb for this album states that the main inspirations for this production were some of the leading new age bands from 30 years ago: New Order, Gary Numan and Duran Duran were mentioned. Alongside a description as accessible material. Which, perhaps, might be true. At least some of those descriptions fits to some extent.
The songs on this album can basically be divided into four different types. The odd one out on the album is called, phew, Burned by the Sands Fire and Scars Alone I Wait Counting the Stars. This is a slow, dark, menacing affair that applies the mood and atmosphere of early Gary Numan in an industrial oriented framework, with a haunting synth solo on top and mumbled lead vocals hovering a few feet under the ground or something. A purebred, bleak dystopian affair, the sound of a future world pressed down by the sins of multiple generations of abusers. At least as far as general mood is concerned. Sombre beauty is a description that fits this one perfectly, if you enjoy such brooding atmospheres at least.
The compositions Carnegiea Gigantea as well as The Theme From Impationly Yours should fit right at home with fans of New Order. The former a dirtier and grittier take on their sound due to the bass first and foremost, the latter a more smooth and elegant affair with a nifty layered synth solo build up as the song concludes.
Title track Desert Jelly as well as Pants And Sake Take The Neighborhood can best be described as ambient electronic excursions. Well made ones at that too I might add, and both of them with fairly different excursions into this universe. The former exotic in a wind synth and desert sounds kind of way, the latter in a more eerie and arguably futuristic one.
The remaining six tracks all revolve in part or in full around a tight bass and drums foundation, of the kind that invites associations towards the likes of New Order as well as good, old Hawkwind. For the most intense ones Killing Joke should be an appropriate name-drop too I imagine. The additional parts of the arrangements are made up by synth textures that should sound familiar to fans of Gary Numan, Hawkwind (again) and Ozric Tentacles, liberally flavored with cosmic effects that should strike home with fans of the latter two. Very well made and enticing affairs all of them, and with a touch of Krautrock at times too. With the short, energetic and concise creation I Come From The Earth as my personal highlight with it’s dramatic siren sounds and dark, spoken vocals.
Electric Bird Noise is a band that in it’s 2013 incarnation should find favor amongst a fairly broad audience I surmise, as the music is easy to enjoy on several levels. But a key audience should be those who have albums by New Order, Gary Numan and Hawkwind side by side in their collection: I can’t really imagine that those who fits that description wouldn’t treasure this album.
My rating;: 87/100
