Gazelle Twin – Pastoral (Anti-Ghost Moon Ray)
Vinyl / CD / DL
21 September 2018
10/10
adjective: incredible
1. impossible to believe.
"an almost incredible tale of triumph and
tragedy"
2. difficult to believe; extraordinary.
"the noise from the crowd was
incredible"
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Informal
Very good; wonderful.
“I was mesmerised”
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And so begins the new album from Elizabeth Bernholz aka
Gazelle Twin. The clue to its success
lies above. As the words of opening opus
Folly exclaim – “What species is this?
What century? What
atmosphere? What government?” – so Pastoral
can be summed up as “What the fuck?”
This album is like nothing you have ever heard before. If it doesn’t hit you immediately, if your
brain doesn’t feel like it’s melting and dripping out of your ears, then stick
with it, it will. You head might feel
like it’s about to explode, you may be convinced you’re living in a fantasy,
another world, a nightmare. The kitchen
sink is probably included in an album of skilfully repetitive sounds, field recordings
and genius, the latter making this album a landmark in modern music.
It challenges everything that has gone before – pop, punk,
avant garde – you name it, this sets a new standard. Pastoral is horror hidden in the peaceful
villages and public places of Middle-England, a comment on modern Britain set
to the background of grinding loops and unimaginable sounds. Better In My Day remarks on the stature of
the youth over a Pastoral characteristic of pounding percussion and basslines
and Little Lambs introduces a controlled anarchy in danger of breaking free with
broken fragments of hip-hop and house thrown in for good measure.
Pastoral was four years in the making and it’s easy to see
why as it gels its fourteen tracks together in a truly mind-blowing order. Harpsichord and recorder are sampled to
create incredible screeches in this hell-on-earth production. Dieu Et Mon Droit (the motto of the British
monarchy = God and my right) comments on the state of the nation and our
ignorance to its difficulties and Mongrel includes electronic blips and bleeps
over another evil commentary.
Be very scared at Tea Rooms – you will never enjoy your
waitress-served hot beverage and cream scone again without constantly looking
over your shoulder and wondering what goes on where the eye can’t see. Jerusalem sounds like it contains snippets of
The Blue Meanies from Yellow Submarine or maybe it’s just a devil possessed
Punch post ‘disposal’ of Judy?
With recent single Hobby Horse comes maniacal voice and swirling
sounds which ingrain themselves in your now permanently aroused ears whilst
distortion balances on a knife edge. Pastoral
is not for the light-hearted but instead for the musically hungry, the desiring
of the unique with a thirst for true original and a hint of terror and
revulsion.
Classic:
adjective
.judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and
outstanding of its kind.
noun
a work of art of recognized and established value.
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