This latest release on Ki Records comes from Colo, two producers named Ben Corr and Nick Smith, who are gradually making their way to band status by adding more and more analogue elements to their setup. The copious amounts of layering techniques for each sound within each track of UR is complemented with vintage synthesizers, kids' toy keyboards and subtle percussion, with parts of the process often being put on cassette and then run back through the desk to be cut up and given new texture. The result is a hugely spacious album.
This first half of the LP focuses heavily on the fragile vocals of Smith, with each song playing as a downtempo lament, with sparse islands of electronica dotted throughout. Album opener, "Holiday," with its soft synth pulses and innocent feathery vocals, seems like a blueprint for the sound that Colo wish to cultivate.
For the second half of UR, Colo jettison most of the vocals and stick to purely instrumental tracks, which don't sound as unique but do showcase the duo's talents a lot better. "Survivability Inside the Bubble," for example, is a genius exploration of sounds, while "UR" and "Salsa" are just beautifully produced.
(Ki)This first half of the LP focuses heavily on the fragile vocals of Smith, with each song playing as a downtempo lament, with sparse islands of electronica dotted throughout. Album opener, "Holiday," with its soft synth pulses and innocent feathery vocals, seems like a blueprint for the sound that Colo wish to cultivate.
For the second half of UR, Colo jettison most of the vocals and stick to purely instrumental tracks, which don't sound as unique but do showcase the duo's talents a lot better. "Survivability Inside the Bubble," for example, is a genius exploration of sounds, while "UR" and "Salsa" are just beautifully produced.