Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Album Review: Multi-Love
If you’re ready for something a little different then Multi Love is ready for you, Unknown
Mortal Orchestra’s latest collection of dazzling tunes just oozes style, with nine tracks filled with smooth sophisticated grooves and funky rhythms. The synth
laden orchestral arrangements are quirky and curious, with synthetic sound
effects mixed with traditional brass elements that keep you very interested.
The broad creative techno style is charming, and while at times the swirling
melodies are a bit dreamy and psychedelic the music has a underlying positive
feel, and so it should with its themes of love and unity at its core. The vocal work has been given a symphonic
robotic treatment, and a bit of a “wet” reverb effect, that fits well with the
techno sound and the tight dub style drum beats.
Each song is of a similar style but each offers a little play on the ears with clever variations of rhythm and sound effects. There are distorted electric guitars that give way to classical acoustic guitars, there are saxophones and multiple synth grinds with bursts of colourful keys. While there is a lot going on, the fluid melodies infuse and bathe around the superb dub beats surprisingly well, delivering a heavy dose of polished experimental sound that feels good.
Unknown Mortal Orchestra are a four-piece band based in Portland, Oregon, and they have produced an album with a thoughtful yet fun twist on many music styles, a captivating and interesting sound that could be described as refined chic, and that’s something you don’t hear every day, but you should.
About Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Unknown Mortal Orchestra first appeared around a year ago, more a song than a set, more an idea than an identity. They dazzled all who heard them with sound drawing on the freedom of '60s psychedelia and swampy '70s funk, with multi-tracked, heavily treated vocals recalling the raw emotion of R&B from any era.
The songs filtered around via email then blogs, but there were no images, no bios, no lists of band members with prior projects prominent. There wasn't even a live show - which just served to focus attention on the music. And while New Zealanders who heard it instantly suspected a Mint Chicks connection, overseas the slate remained blank: "Information essentially doesn't exist, aside from it being a solo project hailing from Portland," said I Guess I'm Floating, summing up the absence.
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Unknown Mortal Orchestra
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