Rating:
Genre:
Electronica
Release Date: 05/08/2001
Though they quickly traded the warm
electronic pop of
The Amateur View for a colder vision of primitivist
synth pop and atmospheric noise,
To Rococo Rot proved with
Music Is a Hungry Ghost that they're still at the top of their game artistically. Though they occasionally reference some familiar forms -- swirling
ambient noise reminiscent of
Oval as well as the angular,
downtempo indie rock often found on
Tortoise records -- the trio (plus guest
I-Sound) clearly has a knack for creating music that's understated yet deeply felt.
"First" frames a few beautiful, atmospheric chords around
downtempo heart-monitor beats, while
"Pantone" transforms a series of compact disc errors into surprisingly lush
trance-state
ambience. Two of the highlights are
"From Dream to Daylight" and
"Along the Route," a pair of
Tortoise-styled tracks featuring another guest, violinist
Alexander Balanescu, merging
contemporary classical into
experimental techno.
~John Bush, All Music Guide