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Obfusc - Cities of Cedar (Boltfish Recordings)
"And New York is the most beautiful city in the world? It is not far
from it. No urban night is like the night there... Squares after
squares of flame, set up and cut into the aether. Here is our poetry,
for we have pulled down the stars to our will." Ezra Pound.
Obfusc has also pulled down the sun, opened the blinds and has musically encapsulated New York's densley populated air.
Brooklyn
based Josef X Burke (Obfusc), has managed to seize the vibe of a NY
summer. He cools it down and makes it a refreshing tonic for the soul. The
overall feeling here is chilled, like being on a tube train for an hour
and diving straight into an ice cold shower. Invigorating, crisp
and clean.
This album is an urban ride through an overwhelming landscape in search of a retreat...
"Amatuer
Cartography," for instance, is like the sound of the sun rising as eyes
open, whilst feeling that last piece of crisp air before the sun hits on a
humid morning. High synths bubble up and the main riff breezes in and
calms the soul. Like Isan, but more gltchy and alluring.
Cars
in the distance rattle past, rub the crisp sleep from your eyes, and
the
sun rises again. "Delayed Sunshine Reaction" This song awakens those
very same senses. This would put anyone in the mood for a days work.
Smooth silky synths - guitars offset the digital motion with an
analogue calm. A great track that reminds me of long bus journeys,
staring from the window, watching the world fly past.
As you get
further into the album, a sense that a journey is taking place is felt.
Travelling through urban areas. Condensed, too many people, too many
cars and all you want is solace. Obfusc is a musical oasis, a polluted
chemical reaction that ionises the soul as each new track appears. The
tracks build and you can breathe the city in and exhale it all away.
"Morning
Walk To The Pier" trickles to life and you have to smile at the title.
It's just that; the musical version of breathing in sea air and closing
your eyes as the sun bursts through your eye lids. The construction of
the song is outstanding, as glitches, sytnths, keyboard and drums
flutter melting together creating a warm clear melody - you just want to
lay down and soak it in.
"The Perfect Summer Album," that phrase
is banded about every year and living in London, I rarely get the
warmth in that statement. However, when I think of summer 2008 and want my
own little musical polaroid of a perfect summer, I will visit "Cities
Of Cedar."
This is the debut full length release by this artist
and I am blown away by the fact that he has created such a "whole" album at the
start of his musical journey. Obfusc has a very bright future and
Boltfish Recordings have released an album that will certainly be in my
top ten at the end of the year!
8/10
Obfusc - Myspace
Nicky
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