Prespring (self-released, 2010)
For: Múm, Air, Sigur Rós
Byline: From Russia with love.... lots of love.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: timeliness. It really is an essential component to the blogosphere... one that I haven’t always been the best about, admittedly. But for the Russian outfit known as 2muchachos, it felt somehow more consequential to get this little gem into your hot little hands sooner rather than later—it’s not as much about staying on top of new music here as it is about pure seasonality and relevance as this debut EP couldn’t have come at a more perfect time. It’s appropriately called “Prespring,” and the short, four song collection is a soft, windy, drizzly affair, that is somehow also uplifting and warm. Think of it as a windbreaker album. 2muchacho’s light guitar work and mellow bedroom synths are best experienced outside as it almost feels like some of this was recorded there—a breeze blows by the microphone, or a babbling brooke bubbles by the duo sitting in the grass, perhaps, pawing casio keyboards and gently harping acoustic guitar strings. Though 2muchachos find a comfortable nook in methodic ambience, the ticking clock of time measures these compositions into structured forms, bringing the band’s sound closer to the realm of Icelandic slow core like Sigur Rós. Or, when factoring in the much more subdued, delicate touch the band employs and its mastery of pastoral bliss, more precisely still might be Múm. But the best part about Prespring is how little effort it takes to “get” the music. Everything is so simple and pure, and based on a solid foundation of gorgeous melodic motifs that almost feel personally channeled through your consciousness. This works in so many situations—throw it on the ol’ iPod, and enjoy at sunrise, on a spring bike ride, or beneath a starry night sky and feel your worries melt away. Clocking in at just under 20 minutes in length, coupled with the fact that it’s free, makes this (easily) the easiest listen of the year so far. Be on the lookout for a full-length from the band to be released on Parallax Sounds in the coming months.
—Craw’z 2/28/10
Parallax Sounds Official Website
such a lovely warm ep!
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