Shlohmo

Many people play with textured hiss and beats that sound like reanimated paper crumples, but Shlohmo's musicality makes sure environmental sounds create depth rather than noise. "Anywhere But Here" is one of many examples. Maybe I'm reaching for what I want to hear, but Bad Vibes is yet another example where a basic knowledge of harmonic development in a traditionally musical sense advances beat construction and execution. No amount of reverb can make a lame riff sound majestic. Sholohmo, on the other hand, takes great care to introduce different kinds of complementary reverb in the same track for an artificial, but pleasing, result and then changes chords, to devastating effect. By the time the lack of bass becomes the bass line of "I Can't See You I'm Dead" and slabs of distortion create "Trapped in a Burning House," you know Shlohmo's a master sound artist with funky, song-oriented underpinnings making it all sound relevant. Someone please get Shlohmo to remix Timber Timbre.