I've found that in the last two or three years, the term 'trippy' has become applicable to a lot of music. It always struck me as funny that recording artists throughout a wide variety of genres point to that characteristic in the music, going back to it as a central piece of architecture in the soundscape. There's some stream-lined garage psychedelia from Dinosaur Jr. and Built to Spill, hip hop groove from dynamic producers such as THC (A trio who works closely with the group Overdoz and members of TopDawgENTertainment, and whose notable producers include emcee Iman Omari) and Freddie Gibbs, not to mention the ratchet squawk of Danny Brown. Funky samples in Daft Punk's newest work brought disco back to the front of the mainstream, while grassroots campaigns on the internet created collaborations between unlikely partners and groups. This post, I'll break down Chris Cohen's 'Overgrown Path' an album released in 2012 I thought was a truly, truly trippy experience.
Brooklyn
based Captured Tracks
has really blown up in the independent scene these last year or two.
Mac Demarco, whose
sophomore album 'Salad Days'
i'm absolutely sure i'm going to review in April (AHEM Adlai c: ), released '2'
in 2012 to much critical praise. I had no expectations from this
small label going forward, but they continue to deliver some
absolutely psychedelic musicians.
Chris Cohen, a relatively unknown Los Angeles based producer, released a small 10 track LP named 'Overgrown Path' to relatively zero reception in the same year as Decmarco's '2'. Playing the first track, 'Monad' for my mother as we drove together, she exclaimed that 'it sounds like really trippy Indian music', and I 100% agree with her. Cohen has the uncanny ability to perfectly mirror his voice in his synths and acoustic guitar in tracks such as 'Caller no. 99', and you do end up feeling like youre crawling through the mans instruments; almost like he's sucking you up into a sweet heavenly tornado of acoustic noise. 'Rollercoaster Rider' reminds one of days spent running around under the boardwalk and playing beach volleyball as the sun set, until fading into the tranquility and perfectly timed soft, soft, soft brushes a snare drum lays down in 'Heartbeat'. Halfway through the song, Cohen breaks into an electric guitar solo that, while slow, reverbs through my headphones with a depth I had nearly forgotten the instrument could provide.
After 'Heartbeat', a more, well, optimistic 'Optimistic High' has Cohen sing about shady days going away and re-found love, before transitioning to a shady 'Inside A Seashell'. Shady does not particularly equate to bad, however, as Cohen swings you into the underwater world of a sea slug with equally murky organ instrumentals. 'Don't Look Today' is more of the same gloomy delivery, which makes you want to pass out from how hypnotic the chords are... But suddenly the guitars pick up, and you're swept away again in a split second. 'Open Theme' has Cohen hum longingly, and the smooth melodic piano allows the vocals to soar. Truly a fitting and beautiful way to wrap up such a loose ended acoustic album, with a name that alludes to a future in this industry.
9.5
Seashells/10
Seashells
Pros: Absolutely gorgeous acoustic guitar, probably the most melodic i've heard in a long time. Cohen crafts his sound around reverb and electronically induced effects that, while sly, are verifiably hypnotic. Cohen's voice mirrors his guitar riffs with an accuracy that is near unsettling but beautiful at times. This album reminds me of the beach and I can't get enough of it. Cons: I have no cons with the quality of the music, other than the fact that the second half may be too soft for many to hear in a remotely social setting. It can be a slow album at times, which isn't necessarily bad, but I can see how that could turn off people from being attracted to it.
-Noah Aaron
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