Balam Acab – “Wander / Wonder” Nice Reviews (Posted By Harry)

Posted by SRD on September 15, 2011 · 1 Comment 

Balam Acab “Wander / Wonder”

CD/ LP (Tri Angle)

Reviews for “Wander / Wonder”

State: “…This isn’t background music, it demands good speakers or headphones to get the full effect. One of the main developments in Koone’s music is an increased use of space and sense of depth: it’s less claustrophobic and more fully realised than on See Birds; less mechanised and more organic. The pitch-shifted vocals as well as some of the more melodic arrangements nod to R&B, while there are also shades of shoegaze, drone and James Blake’s Klavierwerke detectable in its heady, hypnotic sonic brew…” (Read More) 8/10 Written By Daniel Harrison

Pitchfork: “…There are eight tracks here in 37 minutes, the perfect length given the consistent mood…The album feels very much like one sustained thing. The basic elements are twinkly keyboards and music-box chimes, dusty crackles floating on sounds of shifting liquid, and deep basslines bumping into the occasional drum machine clap. Floating above it all are the voices, pitched up to accentuate their delicacy and set loose in a cloud of echo. While the current vogue is for sampled vocals that allude to R&B, Balam Acab’s mostly have a classical feel, sounding like they are pulled from recordings of ancient hymns and airs. Accentuating the “chamber dub” qualities are liberal samples of orchestral sections and nylon string guitar. But the most important instrument of all is silence, which frames every note and brings it to the foreground…” (Read More) 8.2 Written By Mark Richardson

One Thirty BPM “…Wander / Wonder is the sound of a producer whose talent exceeds his skill. The span of a year already sees Acab making some giant strides. It was apparent even on See Birds that Acab has a singular voice, putting forth a relentless and travel-ready emotionalism that’s rare for some of the most accomplished artists in the same field. There’s a simultaneous show-of-hand that somehow compliments that emotional weight rather than hinders it. It’s that weight that gives these compositions durability, and considering how naked Acab leaves his samples, some staggering life. All said, it’s really the bottom line here…” (Read More) 87% Written By Will Ryan

More Great “Wander / Wonder” Reviews

New York Times (Read) 8/10 Written By Jon Caramanica

All Music Guide (Read)  4* Written By Heather Phares

Fact (Read) 4* Written By Tam Gunn

Resident Advisor (Read) 4* Written By Andrew Ryce

Data Transmission (Read) 9/10 Written By Nick Dovey

Mishka (Read) A+ Written By Chris Kelly

Beatport (Read) 6/5 (!) Written By MFerry

Playground (Read) 9.2 Written By Javier Blánquez

Dummy (Read) 8/10 Written By Aimee Cliff

Irish Times (Read) 4* Written By Jim Carroll

Cokemachineglow (Read)  72% Written By P.M. Goerner

Slant (Read) 3.5/5 Written By Kevin Liedel

Tracklist
1. Welcome
2. Apart
3. Motion
4. Expect
5. Now Time
6. Oh, Why
7. Await
8. Fragile Hope

Bonus tracks
9. Heavy Living Things
10. Long
11. Still
12. Under

Listen to “Oh, Why”  – Balam Acab “Wander / Wonder” (Tri Angle)

Filed under Harry · Tagged with Aimee Cliff, All Music Guide, Andrew Ryce, Apart, Await, balam acab, Beatport, Chris Kelly, Cokemachineglow, Daniel Harrison, Data Transmission, DUMMY, Expect, Fact, Fragile Hope, Heather Phares, Heavy Living Things, Irish Times, Javier Blánquez, Jim Carroll, Jon Caramanica, Kevin Liedel, Long, Mark Richardson, MFerry, Mishka, Motion, New York Times, Nick Dovey, Now Time, Oh, One Thirty BPM, P.M. Goerner, Pitchfork, PLAYGROUND, RESIDENT ADVISOR, See Birds, Slant, State, Still, Tam Gunn, Tri-Angle, Tri-Angle Records, Under, Wander/Wonder, Welcome, Why, Will Ryan