The
debut of Vancouver's I THINK I SAW YOU SEE MEis a rousing, panoramic affair that bursts through the confines of
its chosen format, the cassette.
The quintet collectively finds the
mid-point between proggy intricacy and the brazen heft of so-called
math-rock, and departs from there toward uncharted destinations.
Guitar asymmetry occupies the foreground for much of the album,
imparting both heaviness and a restless danceability, yet there's
also a sense of volatile nuance that's ever-present, undoubtedly due
to the immersion of its membership in an eclectic array of
musics—especially of the improvised variety. The electronic
abstraction of experimental music veteran Giorgio Magnanensi cements
this impression, providing a destabilizing force with its
psychedelic trickles and neon spirals.
Superimposer's
twelve-minute final cut exemplifies the band's singular chemistry.
First, insistent interlocking guitar figures prod at a molten
texture, pushing it to the point of eruption. Then, after a moment of
repose, the group converges upon what initially seems like a more
relaxed coda, but gradually this unravels to bring forth a turbulent
climax.
Tellingly, the album's widescreen ambitions are reflected in
visual counterparts that were produced for its series of titular
tracks. These include collaborations with Canadian video artists from
across the country: Emma Tomic, Michaela Grill, and Hadis Fard.
BAND:
Giorgio Magnanensi: electronics; Kenton Loewen: drums James Meger: bass; Gavin Youngash: guitar ; Cole Schmidt: guitar
CREDITS: Recorded by John Raham at Afterlife Studios Mixed by James Meger; Mastered by Jesse Zubot Album art by Julia Devorak