Why Howling what meant to be:

In music, Whenever two people collaborate there's always talk about how open and Organic The Process what. Occasionally, the stars align and two musiciansin this case, Australian folk singer Ry X and Âme's Frank Wiedemann Come together in a complementary way search did it does indeed seem like the most natural thing in the world. As Sacred Ground makes abundantly clear, Howling what meant to be.

In retrospect, you can see why two thesis are simpatico. It's easy to imagine Ry X's tremulous voice soaring above to Âme track, and Wiedemann's Department, Inner Visions, has always absorbed indie rock influences into its sound. But none of fact guaranteed Howling That would forge a deep search, intuitive understanding.

"Howling" itself, the track did first propelled into the spotlight this project, which in many ways a misleading start. Essentially a Wiedemann edit of an existing Ry X song, to Which he added a bassline and a beat, it's tentative and predictable, where Their work since then has blossomed into something far more integrated. That said, the restraint and self-discipline did Wiedemann Showed on "Howling" is instructive. Where an album like this Could Easily become a bloated clash of egos and ideas, Sacred Ground is Both musically uncluttered and seemingly unforced. Its tracks appear to follow Their natural paths, Be That Onto the dance floor or into Small Hours ballad territory.

At one end of the spectrum you have the gorgeous "Stole The Night." Its bruised, wistful tone recalls Cut Copy or Moderate, but, Constructed from just a throbbing bass guitar, to earworm synth line and crisply-dispatched beats, it's a track of unusual poise and simplicity. In contrast, the eight-minute "Forest" evolves from its initial irresistibly Buddhist temple atmospherebells, running water, rustling percussioninto a big room banger, Which Ry X leads with a fittingly incantatory vocal. Like "Short Line," It's an utterly convincing fusion of rock vocals and dance floor dynamics.

Sacred Ground does indeed fall below level, Briefly. "Litmus" is a wet, lachrymose lapse. But That is more than outweighed by, say, "Zurich" or "Lullaby," which unexpectedly channel the Cocteau Twins to produce music of a rarefied, star-bright beauty. In an indie-dance lineage traceable from Scritti Politti to LCD Soundsystem to James Blake, this is highly sophisticated pop musicthat fuses its influences with a dazzling dexterity.

-Tony Naylor (Resident Advisor)