The anticon collective i've been familiar with since cLouddead. That album, which was a bit of an epiphany for me, sealed my love for the label, as well as a love for hip hop. Because that was what it was, despite it's avant garde meanders, and despite those who refused to hear how grounded the record was in traditional hip hop sound due to it's startling originality. Now however, Anticon are into releasing exciting and fresh indie electronica, and sparkling fresh is the new Son Lux record: "At War With Walls And Mazes". This is a record which defys all your previous expectations from the anticon label. Although it shares a similarity of feel with artists such as cLouddead and Why?, it takes their manic sound and smooths it out into a trickling trip hop silkiness.
This is an album which neatly skirts the edge between a definite, definable sound, and the kind of tripped out, cold, euphoric crackwhore-with-cash shit we are more used to hearing from Anticon. Songs like "Betray" begin as if they are going to be a post-rockish 14 minute ethereal jam, before changing and twisting multiple times, until the vocals kick in and you realize you're listening to a tight, accessible tune which could easily be described as "radio friendly", although maybe only in the most enlightened of markets, in the hours between 10-12pm on a sunday evening.
Because the mood of this album is definitely subdued, but blissfully so. It couldn't be called depressing, but it's slightly emotionally draining. It's massively diverse, but there is no real contrast between the tone of the songs. This isn't a weakness however, it's a strong indication of talent. This guy has been able to keep the same, hushed low key sound even in the more uptempo sections of the album. It's these more lively passages which keep the album from feeling washed out, and allow it to sparkle through the restrained and chastened tones.
Son Lux - Betray (MP3)
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