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ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN THE STARS, THE OCEANS & THE MOON


Richard Shashamane


Thirteen of the fiſteen tracks on The Stars, The Oceans & The Moon are new interpretations of Bunnymen classics from their four decade career. It opens with Bring On the Dancing Horses, strong and punchy with more prominent guitar in the mix. A sprightly Lips Like Sugar sounds fresh with clean production and scratchy guitar, while Rescue, one of my favourites, now features strings and a dirty, funky bassline; I'm quickly won over. Later Zimbo, dark and dramatic, which could easily form part of a Lynchian soundtrack, and a respectful, atmospheric reworking of Stars Are Stars which almost feels like a new song. One of the most distinctive voices in music given a fine showcase here. Seven Seas is stripped right back to vocals. Ocean Rain follows, built around minimalist piano, and The Cutter is altogether brighter and Ian McCulloch's voice has added bite. New song The Somnambulist has a classic Bunnymen feel while How Far? includes the lyric “We're all astronauts looking for heaven”, I like to think a nod to Bowie. To conclude, The Killing Moon in beautiful style, all piano, strings and expressive vocals. On this record, songs which span some 40 years individually, all sit comfortably together. It's a reminder just what a great band the Bunnymen have always been.


ALT J REDUXER


Alex Dalton


At its heart, Reduxer is a remix album, retooling the tracks from alt-J’s previous effort Relaxer with a plethora of vocalists and producers. The result is a mixed bag. A highlight comes with Deadcrush, transformed into a dark hip-hop piece by The Alchemist and Trooko, and complemented by the equally demented Danny Brown. Hit Me Like That Snare gets an enjoyable makeover – Jimi Charles Moody’s remix is bouncy and energetic, whereas Rejjie Snow’s is soothing and sexy. Little Simz and Pusha T are two other rap features that work extraordinarily well, and the international flair from Lomepal (France) and Kontra K (Germany) bring additional layers to the already complex soundscape. There are a number of duds. Adeline’s remix, although enjoyably bassy, contains a dull feature from Paigey Cakey, and Tuka’s interpretation of House of the Rising Sun is equally shallow. Reduxer displays some impressive reimagining of the source material, and though some of the charm gets lost in its own complexity, it shows the group’s willingness to play around with their musical interests, which should certainly be encouraged. Hopefully some of the unexpected collaborations worm their way into the band’s future releases – an alt-J hip-hop beat album with up-and-coming rappers? A mixtape of foreign language ballads? Sign me up.


28 / OCT-NOV 2018 / OUTLINEONLINE.CO.UK


PALE WAVES MY MIND MAKES NOISES


Alex Cabré


Mancunian bunchs the star; it’s her stories of lost romance we hear on Loveless Girl, of longing for escape on the chunky, percussion-led Drive. Her distinct vocal may sound whiney to an unfamiliar ear, but listen closely and her nuances enrich musings about, in short, the pain, confusion, and sheer overwhelming everything of what it’s like to be a young adult. Though her words are exclusively youthful, her influences hark back to another time; The Cure just about gets away with a Boys Don’t Cry-esque intro. The album stretches out for 14 tracks, distinctly picking up towards the end thanks to the ever-infectious Television Romance, but its duration does make it painfully clear what’s killer and what’s filler (cough, When Did I Lose It All, She). Nevertheless, for a band whose early days were mired with commentary on how ‘it all sounds the same’, Pale Waves have done well in forging an exceptionally passionate, dramatic statement leaving them perfectly poised for inevitable world domination.


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