Customer Reviews

Manic Expressive

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This has really moved out of the realms of slow-core and into uncharted waters of achingly beautiful experimental pop. At times it recalls the slowest and most introspective moments of an Eels disc., or perhaps if you gave the To Rococo Rot & I-Sound collaborations a vocalist and forced them into a pop-song structure, they might make music like this.

It's a remarkably cohesive album, and all of the experimental elements mesh into the song structures rather than standing out in opposition. The digital drumlines are glitchy in a good way, with skitterish snares on "the ringing in my ears" (my favorite track), or the sound of button presses and rewinding tape serving as the rhythm section of another track. While the string lines and the bass carry most of the melody, the organ adds a bit of a warm, fuzzy feel to even the most digital of songs. A mixture of his vocals, his girlfriend vocals, and some recorded dialogue keep the vocals fresh, although they really seem to serve as another insturment rather than the "focus" of the songs.

The presence of 'intro' and 'outro' songs suggest that this album is meant to be digested as a whole, and I definetly agree. If I had to pick standout tracks, however, i'd suggest 'the ringing in my ears' 'polar opposite' and 'hassle free harmony'. It's probably not coincidence that these are the most "traditional" songs on the disc, but they make the strongest impression for me.

This record represents a collision of a hybrid of blips and beeps with a melancholic vocal angle. You don't expect to hear the two in unison sounding so fresh and relevant. The dichotomy is that you would expect this music to come off as cold and distant instead of warm and inviting. Naysayers whom claim electronic music has no soul should take notice, because this record has it.

There are a lot of melancholy boys with access to computer technology writing depressive near ambient symphonies to their own isolation. Marc Bianchi, recording as Her Space Holiday, is one of the good ones. On his second release, Manic Expressive, he stops navel-gazing long enough to mix it up in the real world. Of course, he does it quietly - his electronic palette is full of muted pastels, whispers - he's coming to your dinner party, not the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square. But he's absorbed and processed a number of wide-ranging influences in his bedsit: Philip Glass, Can, Vivaldi, Belle and Sebastian, Kraftwerk, Bach. To my taste, more interesting as ambient than Aphex Twin or any number of faceless trance remixers.

Her Space Holiday has such a new sound you can't help getting addicted to it. Perfect for any occasion during the day or night, every song is a standout hit. The song "Key Stroke" has even been scored in a snowboard video. Manic Expressive can be a soundtrack to your daily life.

Some of "Manic Expressive" isn't all that good - by that I mean some tracks are annoying in a way that you have to REALLY like the band (most notably the singers) to enjoy them ("The Ringing In My Ears" and "Polar Opposites" are good examples - they sound pleasant, but the singer kind of ruins the songs for me. If you happen to like the singer a lot, though, these are good songs). However there ARE some great songs here - "Lydia" is one of my favorite songs (maybe it's just my tendency to love really good electronic-based songs, but I think most people will agree it's the best highlight here). None of the tracks are bad; most of them are very good if not decent. "Lydia", I think, contributes to its appeal. It's not for everyone, but if you're into electronic-influenced indie pop then you'll probably like "Manic Expressive". Recommended.

Highlights include:
"Manic Expressive (Intro)
"Lydia"
"Key Stroke"
"Hassle Free Harmony"
the rest are pretty decent