Slim Twig

Tucked away in the Toronto underground for the better part of two years now, Slim Twig will finally gain the exposure he rightly deserves with this Paper Bag re-release of his debut EP. Certainly last year’s White Fantaseee EP was a remarkable statement; the yelping, pompadour-topped Slim played the snake charmer at its centre, coaxing grimy no-wave rockabilly tunes out of his guitar and synths. While Derelict Dialect doesn’t quite have the depth and scope of White Fantaseee, taken in context it’s almost as impressive. Derelict Dialect is a highly accomplished debut laden with wonderfully twisted tracks like "The Replica and Martyr,” which smoothly shifts gears from its initial chugging momentum and slows a chanted dirge that spirals deliciously downward. Even more compelling is the portentous "An Austere Gentleman,” where a possessed Slim hurls lascivious boasts at the object of his desire. It’s Slim’s steely assuredness and his total immersion into the role of performer that’s so transfixing. The fact that he’s evolved for the better since this EP first came out means that you all had better sit up and pay attention.