dos partes - CD/u-cover
2LP/subdeviant - 2001
mp3: clip 1, clip 2, clip 3
"I'm quite new to this obscure formation that is Llips, and, even though I already had heard and enjoyed the split CD with Starfish Pool "Sweetwater", the release of "Dos Partes" is my first opportunity to learn about the who and the how of this project. Llips is a band in which play Lusine Icl, Starfish Pool, as well as several guest singer and other musicians (for a total of 11 band members on this album), and in which fields recordings done in New York, Mexico and other locations play an important role.
My biggest surprise, while listening to "Dos Partes", was however the extensive presence of female voices, ethereal and full of emotions, from the very start of "This is just a supermarket". Sweet and soulfull, the voices of the two singers appearing on "Dos Partes" fits well a very dreamy, urban and yet ample music in which samples of street noise, conversations and people passing bys have to be combined with slow guitars, even slower soundscapes and very gentle clear electronics. Very good on this opening track and on "Run naked run", it might be a little to mlodramatic in "Alitas", where the electronic part of the music should take the whole attention of the listener. If I had had the feeling on "Sweetwater" was inspired by Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Llips here has a side that is totally distinct from the famous Montreal-based band, which is a clear and obvious electronic sound, as well as an ability to write long tracks that are still coherent, and keep the same theme for 15 minutes (to the contrary of Godspeed who, in my opinion, leave everything behind everytime a track changes). However, the sensation of city mornings, of crowded but almost silent places (well reflected by the cover art by Stefan Alt) is close to Godspeed and to this whole scene of sad instrumental guitar music that has been rising in the last year.
At the meeting point between accoustic music, the electronic flow of Starfish Pool and the IDM-ish groove of Lusine ICL (behind, by the way, more to my taste that what this guy is doing solo). It is soft, gentle and subtle, but also deep and deeply touching. Plus, the last track of the CD (which doesn't appear on the 2LP version), an electronic remix by Lusine ICL, adds anohter dimension to this release, which is, at the end, something I recommend a lot."
Nicolas - Recycle your ears
My biggest surprise, while listening to "Dos Partes", was however the extensive presence of female voices, ethereal and full of emotions, from the very start of "This is just a supermarket". Sweet and soulfull, the voices of the two singers appearing on "Dos Partes" fits well a very dreamy, urban and yet ample music in which samples of street noise, conversations and people passing bys have to be combined with slow guitars, even slower soundscapes and very gentle clear electronics. Very good on this opening track and on "Run naked run", it might be a little to mlodramatic in "Alitas", where the electronic part of the music should take the whole attention of the listener. If I had had the feeling on "Sweetwater" was inspired by Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Llips here has a side that is totally distinct from the famous Montreal-based band, which is a clear and obvious electronic sound, as well as an ability to write long tracks that are still coherent, and keep the same theme for 15 minutes (to the contrary of Godspeed who, in my opinion, leave everything behind everytime a track changes). However, the sensation of city mornings, of crowded but almost silent places (well reflected by the cover art by Stefan Alt) is close to Godspeed and to this whole scene of sad instrumental guitar music that has been rising in the last year.
At the meeting point between accoustic music, the electronic flow of Starfish Pool and the IDM-ish groove of Lusine ICL (behind, by the way, more to my taste that what this guy is doing solo). It is soft, gentle and subtle, but also deep and deeply touching. Plus, the last track of the CD (which doesn't appear on the 2LP version), an electronic remix by Lusine ICL, adds anohter dimension to this release, which is, at the end, something I recommend a lot."
Nicolas - Recycle your ears
links:
U-Cover Records
Subdeviant Recordings
L'usine