How does one begin to describe an album that is a totally fresh and new experience? Aardvarck’s new long player Find The Cow released through the majestic Delsin label is just such an album. Don’t be put off by the bizarre title, or the fact that Find The Cow contains an astonishing 23 tracks. Quantity doesn’t come at the price of quality here. Quite the reverse, in fact. The evocative, involving and varied pieces, many of which are little more than a minute in duration, draw the listener in with amazing speed and dexterity.
The production on the album – arid, hazy, dusty, distorted, multi-layered and staggeringly intricate – elicits a feeling of being transported simultaneously both forwards and backwards in time. The bizarrely anachronistic combination of crackly, heavily textured ambient strings that sound like they’ve been sampled from an old and obscure 78 record released decades ago and the futuristic broken beats and keys that skitter, clatter and shift with astounding complexity is a truly unique experience. Tracks like “Taa-Ba” and in particular “Upset” with it’s distorted, broken beats and misty pads shimmer and drift hauntingly whilst occasional strings creep to the surface, sounding for all the world like an old black and white thriller is playing on a television somewhere in another room. “Dim”, “Th #6” and “Th #2” evoke images of beautiful desert landscapes obscured by dust and heat haze, whilst others such as “Zom” – a modern classic of a track – “Oef” and “Accept” further indulge in the anachronistic, string-laden sound that permeates the album.
This is a classic release in every sense of the word. The unique stylistic direction taken by this record and the conviction behind it evident from the stunningly meticulous production values, complex construction and carefully considered and affecting melodies have produced in Find The Cow one of the most original and beautiful albums I have ever heard. Find The Cow is essential and addictive listening and a stunning addition to Delsin’s flawless catalogue.
Find the Cow is out now on Delsin Records.
