Label: World Of Echo – WOE004 Format: Vinyl, 12", EP Country: UK Released: 2021 Genre: Electronic, Pop Style: Abstract, Trip Hop
Tara Clerkin Trio’s previous record, 2019’s self-titled LP on Laura Lies in, was a rare pleasure. A perfectly formed experimental pop album that, while very much doing its own thing, absolutely stood up against 90s giants like Broadcast, Stereolab, Movietone or Pram. It was music that showed it’s workings, composed of raw sounding loops of drums, keyboards, clarinet and voice that settled into unexpected but pleasing patterns. This gave the whole thing an atmosphere of smoked-out uncertainty but also a certain joyful home-made romance. So much so in fact, that that album’s scuffed-up and dubbed-out sweetness alone felt like a reason to push on through the weird couple of years since is release. What next then? Aside from a few low key tracks that have appeared here and there, this 4 track EP on World of Echo is the first clear glimpse of where they might be headed. It’s a relief to find the idiosyncrasies that made their debut so charming remain, it’s sounds and strategies still in place. But there is a a palpable change of atmosphere too, a new lightness. The loop of school-room piano that opens the record is like a sudden brightening or an abrupt change of focus that ushers in a mood of wonder and hallucinatory clarity that pervades the whole record. Newly crunchy drums call to mind hyper textured post-Aphex Idm. There are moments that hover on the line where dub logic meets musique concrète, using varying tape speeds to bend melodies out of shape. And Tara’s vocals are as dreamily far-away and straight-laced as ever, but even more so, effortlessly conjuring up Trish Keenan, late Raincoats, Jane & Barton or that amazing People in Control 7”. Every time you think you have the sound pinned down, the music takes an unexpected left turn, or some odd little detail catches and repeats causing you to fall in love all over again. By the time it all comes beautifully together on the title track the deal is sealed. If the music press still existed, someone somewhere would be calling them the best new band in Britain.. (Mint / New)
Tracklist 1 Done Before 2 Night Steps 3 Memory 4 In Spring
