References, contrasts and comparisons aside, Midday Static fine tunes his sound with Ektachrome, an album that is lively and condensed in a thick kaleidoscopic downbeat stew.
Tulsa, Oklahoma-based Dylan Boyd (aka Midday Static) understands how to combine those early inspirational Boards of Canada sounds with textured guitar works of his own. Last years Kodachrome rested on fuzzier static clicks of the color spectrum, whereas Ektachrome is a much more sedated and guitar influenced affair.
Obviously music has clearly had the right to children on the blurred turquoise and sepia drenched hues featured within the artwork and typeface. With Ektachrome, shoegaze synthesizer drones are tethered to more instrumental mood swings and familiar 70s psychedelia. We even have a few of those beloved interludes—in the one-minute range—where time is allowed to drift without notice. The crisp, faded, and eroded loops on “Pastel Clouds” and “Vista Point” stand out as beacons for times gone by. The nostalgic downtempo shifts and punchy beats draw the listener into its aural depths. On other Polaroids we find pieces like “Daytime Highs” teeming with reversed rhythms and acoustic guitar flickering that shimmy about in abandoned, verdant landscapes. Midday Static continuously fuses dusted ambient waves nestled between subtle field recordings, all the while, percussive summertime highs take shape on “Daydreamer” and the title track. These are two unique sonic beasts worth repeated listening on long coastal drives.
References, contrasts and comparisons aside, Midday Static fine tunes his sound with Ektachrome, an album that is lively and condensed in a thick kaleidoscopic downbeat stew.
Ektachrome is available on Bandcamp.
