Introductions – Hold Up Your Hands
Orchid Collective 2009
Listen while reading:
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First post in the new category. Out of the ordinary will deal with all the music I like and love besides acoustic folk like slow alternative, dream pop or indie rock. But don’t be worried, I will keep up focusing on acoustic folk. But there are moments I just have to write about other stunning music and I’m not willing to create a separate blog for this.
The reason for my decision comes from Orchid Collectiv again. Four days ago, on October 14th, they released Introductions’ first full-length Hold Up Your Hands. From the first moment I listened to their music I fell in love with the album. For me Introductions is the first band that’s worth to be mentioned in a line with the incredible Beach House – the best still performing dream pop band out there.
Introductions is a collaboration between Jasen Reeder (member of Yellow Mosquitoes) and Emily Jane Powers who has recorded solo material over the last years and has been playing in many different projects in Illinois and Michigan. They both met in 2006, started playing music together in 2007 and finally got their debut ready.
They created a mix of folky dream pop songs that is just overhelming in my opinion. Even if you feel that they are sometimes close to the sound of Beach House they manage to get away with it by adding some nice folk elements into their music. The highlight, or better one of the highlights of this mixing is The Prnciple Of Least Effort…or Our Way Home…or hmm, I really can’t pick one out, they are all so freaking awesome.
In most songs the electric guitar is used to create a unique sound that is sort of lo-fi but perfectly fits, just listen to Change Your Mind and you will love the combination of guitar and vocals. It just feels so great to listen to the music while the metallophone (or something like that) starts playing at the end of the track. Also the amazing Your Likeness Will Fade with its (keyboard?) strings and the noisy part at the end is nothing but a jewel amongst other jewels.
Hold Up Your Hands is completely leavened by a magical athmosphere that is created by the beautiful and glimmering voice of Emily Jane Powers and the brilliant guitar and bass work. Alltogether they made an outstanding album where everything fits just fine. Definitely one of the best non acoustic folk records of the year.
If you buy a physical copy of the album over at Orchid Collective, you get it delivered in a hand drawn and hand numbered cd case. But there are just 100 copies so you’d better be quick. Here is a picture to get a taste of it:
