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| He's got a hell of a beard too. |
Introduction
When it comes to down-tempo and electronica, a lot of names come to mind. Massive Attack, Portishead, Moby, Bonobo... quite a long list. But last year, a huge name emerged into the scene from the great down under. Australian artist Chet Faker (aka Nick Murphy) combines elements of Massive Attack's trip-hop, Bonobo's soundscapes, and classic soul into a very unique blend. Last year's twin releases Thinking in Textures and Live Sessions were quite a smack in the face to the humble world of electronica. It's fresh and new again.
With only two releases and a full length on the way, Chet Faker has managed to net himself two best indie release awards (both for Thinking in Textures) as well as Breakthrough Artist of the Year from the AIR Awards. If that's not convincing enough, let's take a look at his first two and only releases.
The EPs
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| Thinking in Textures (2012) |
Thinking in Textures is a different record. At around 30 minutes, it's a little long for an EP. The album starts out with ambient bird noises, a nice drum beat, and some electric piano notes from Chet. "I'm Into You" lures the listener in with sensual lyrics, Chet's crooning voice, and steady drum beats. The main chorus really shows off Chet's vocal power, hitting some higher notes in the process. Midway through the track, a brief spoken part between Chet and an unknown female occurs. It definitely makes the track stick out, showing Chet's sensibility towards sexuality. From this first track, the listener will know the album is going to be full of unique versions of Marvin Gay-esque lyrical cliches without the smooth edge. The music does feel very rough, with Chet's voice almost crackling, like he's singing through an intercom. The track slides directly into "Terms and Conditions", with a light electric piano line and some electronic noodling. Once again, the lyrics are skewed towards love, but with a sad tone involving a woman's lover walking in on her cheating with another man, and resorting to drinking. The chorus is very great, with Chet's soulful voice leading the charge. The song itself is very subdued, looking almost towards a minimalistic approach. Following this is a wonderful cover of Blackstreet's hit "No Diggity". The semi-processed vocals from Chet completely change this gangster rap anthem into an almost romantic track. The electric piano notes careen across the left and right stereo channels, practically engulfing the listener in tone. This track is a brilliant flurry of overlapping harmonies, field recordings of playing children, and almost doo-wop background vocals, this track is an amazing overhaul of the classic. To be honest, I'm partial to the version on Live Sessions, which will be discussed later. "Love and Feeling" is full of wishful lyrics, nice 808 beats, and of course, processed vocals. Soaring synths dominate the chorus, which is loaded with innuendo (my body cares only what you say), and Chet's multitracked voice. The operatic sample at the end segues into "Cigarettes and Chocolate", a quasi-instrumental loaded with lightly strummed guitar chords, field recordings, and indistinct vocal lines, presumably from Chet. This is the peak of his trip-hop experimentations, being the longest track on the EP as well. Probably the most unique track on the album, it truly gives off a feeling of sitting in a park on a sunny day, watching children run and scream while enjoying some of life's guilty pleasures, hence the alliterative song title. It seems truly out of place when listened to by itself, but when combined with "Love and Feeling" for a solid 9 1/2 minute medley, one of the best trip-hop tracks is born. "Solo Sunrise" brings the album back to its roots in angsty and lost love. With drifting organ lines and record scratches in the background, Chet enters with his typical lyrics. This is where the album starts to lose a little steam, with an almost re-hashed feeling when the trip-hop medley is complete. Not to say it's a bad song, it just feels... forced. The EP could have easily ended before this track, and would have made listeners clamor for more. Multitracked Chet dominates the track, and easygoing electric piano chords lead the track to an end. "Everything I Ever Wanted" practically buries Chet's intercom vocals in the mix. The minimalistic approach really kills the album's momentum along with "Solo Sunrise". If the two aforementioned tracks were placed before "Love and Feeling/Cigarettes and Chocolate", the album would flow much better. However, the album isn't completely dead. Thinking in Textures manages to cram a bunch of different ideas, themes, and tones into a handy little 30-minute disc. Not bad for a first release. As a matter of fact, it's one of my favorite debut EPs, next to albums like Tool's Opiate, At the Drive In's Hell Paso, and Agalloch's From Which of this Oak.
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| Live Sessions (2012) |
Live Sessions starts out with an almost Floydian bass intro, not unlike "One of These Days". A snap is heard, and a cover of dubstep artist Burial's "Archangel" begins with a solemn piano line. Like "No Diggity", this version of the song is a complete 180 from the original. Sweeping cymbals and guitar scratching accompany the crescendo, leading into a solo spot from Chet and his piano. The pain within his voice is staggering. Managing to bring such a soulful and powerful voice to a live release is near-next to unheard of these days. The drummer kicks in, and the guitar joins with a long tremolo solo topped off by plodding bass. The song takes a darker and more urgent atmosphere, while Chet croons the simple, yet loving lyrics over an ever-growing guitar. Seeing the raw power change from such a subdued studio album is insane. The post-rocky guitar keeps growing and growing, the drum beat grows faster. In the last few seconds, Chet wails the last few lyrics, and the song ends. A snap occurs again, and the electric piano line from "Love and Feeling" brings us back down from the whirlwind journey of "Archangel". The flying synths from the studio version are long gone, and the song is stripped down to a basic soul tune. The addition of a live band makes this version much better than the studio track. Funnily enough, Chet's voice sounds almost like Marcus Mumford's, except with a deeper tinge. Must be the British roots shining through to his Australian heritage. A nice wah guitar helps close out the track. Live chatter segues the track into a random drum roll, then "No Diggity". This is probably one of the best cover versions I've heard in a long time, standing alongside Hendrix's "All Along the Watchtower" and Johnny Cash's "Hurt". The delicate vocals from the studio version are replaced with Chet's robust voice, and the stereo-trampling piano is reduced to a minimum. Words barely do it justice.
The Verdict
A very easy listen for both. No, I mean it. These albums aren't inaccessible trip-hop and electronica like Portishead and Massive Attack. Matter of fact, they make for a great springboard into the genres. If you're into indietronica, these gems will shine in your collection. However, the difference between the two is proof that analog recording (Live Sessions if you're wondering) is a better format for this type of music.Thinking In Textures - 4/5
Live Sessions - 5/5
- Dave
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