Sep 24 2008
The Present – World I See
The Present
World I See
LOAF; 2008
Admittedly, dense electronic music isn’t the most accessible of art forms. We’re not talking about cutesy pop acts with catchy keyboards and sparkly vocals or four-on-the-floor, over-the-top techno/house beats. What’s being discussed is the sonic magic being created by auteurs like the gentlemen in Animal Collective or dub DJ’s like Burial – music that pushes the boundaries of texture, composition, and arrangement, while staying true to traditional song craft in that the noise isn’t being created just to appear cool and avant-garde. And while it might be hip and trendy to extol the virtues of such acts (though they are quite musically virtuous), it’s important to remember that they’re not seeking to intentionally shift the musical landscape; they’re simply looking to make their music on their terms the way they want it made (even if it isn’t zippy enough to find placement on a cool indie movie’s soundtrack).
Even so, when exposed to the music of The Present, it’s still easy to become a bit overwhelmed by the intense amounts of sound they’ve woven together on their debut record, World I See. Producer Rusty Santos, who’s most notably worked on Panda Bear’s Person Pitch and Sung Tongs from Animal Collective, leads this NYC-based experimental trio, as Santos brings his impressive behind-the-board abilities and sensibilities to bear on his own material. The result is a six-song and nearly 47-minute project that combines Santos’ predilections for arty noise-pop with meditative, ethereal drone-based spaces and places.
While the title track serves as the lead “single” and most accessible part of World I See (mostly because it sounds like is fresh off an Animal Collective record), the bulk of the album centers around three principal long-playing cuts – “Heavens On Ice,” “Symbols On High,” and “Africanized Beatniks.” The record opens with “Heavens On Ice,” as it highlights the key themes of the other tracks into one: feverish drumming, arching guitar patterns, and rich waves of sound combine to wash over the listener. “Symbols On High” features a blend of quirky keyboard swells and drenching fuzz that eventually coalesces into a swirl of pounding percussion, organic piano chords, and blues chords. Beginning with an finger-snapping orchestra, “Africanized Beatniks” then develops into a series of pulsing, syncopated rhythms that shore up thick layers of cascading guitar work. At times reminiscent of the epic grandeur of Sigur Ros as well as trippy, minimalist jazz breakdowns, The Present have fashioned a brilliant record with World I See, one that is able to lift the spirits and tweak the imagination, and all while managing to keep their high-flying instrumental wizardry grounded in performance reality.