Channel In Channel Out

Marcus Cotten's compositions have the same "leave well enough alone" vibe that defined the '90s lo-fi movement within indie rock. In 2011, however, there are no fuzzed-out guitars pushing into the red or hastily punched tape deck keys capturing the magic in media res. Instead, his debut recording is a very clean collection of digital loops, acoustic guitars and occasional keyboard piecework. It's just that the lion's share of tracks on The Author and the Narrator eschews anything like bridges and choruses, instead dropping Cotten's warbling vocals atop ever-ready loops and phrases for the duration. Other than field recordings and other non-musical sounds breaking up the patterns from time to time, a commitment to simplicity (or minimalism, more generously) is upheld. While it's very pure and lovely in its blend of restraint and playfulness, the overall feel is that of a quickly roughed out sketch waiting to be fully coloured in.