summer daze. peace and love to my friends at Humboldt Relief :)
Pittsburgh-based artist and multi instrumentalist, Jennifer Baron as The Garment District, weaves a myriad of aural pathways through the listener's head on this 7" from La Station Radar, which features Nature-Nurture (Sonic Boom Remix) b/w Miraculous Metal/Vigor. Jennifer's debut tape on Night People, Melody Elder, at the cross-section, blended psych pop brilliance; synth and guitar ambience; and sound collages to great effect. 'Only Air', the first track from Melody Elder, demonstrates Jennifer's acute proficiency for creating the kind of pop music that would make the High Llamas; Brian Wilson; and Walter Becker and Donald Fagan of Steely Dan smile. That track had my head spinning in reverie. Naturally, I expected to the rest of the tape to focus on this type of electric pop music. However, that which followed was nothing like it. Rather, it was unexpected and better than I could have imagined. Jennifer's diverse sonic universe arrays itself on the top shelf where the finest nugs glisten in the sunlight. Her penchant for synth and guitar-driven experimental music travels the spectrum from ethereal, hazy and warm to dark and dreamy tones that fray and heave - sounds that would find a cozy spot next to artists on Warp Records.
The version of Nature-Nurture on Melody Elder possessed a languorous, dreamy quality. The vocals of Lucy Blehar, drifting and saccharine-coated, left vapor trails as they slowly expanded throughout the head. Juxtaposed to her mellifluous voice were keys with opaque and crystalline textures, guitar and occasional percussion. Toward the end, oscillating, ethereal tones glisten in the light. With Sonic Boom at the controls, Nature-Nurture attains a height replete with opaque sonic architecture. It billows in the head of the listener, endowing it with hazy abundant character. Lucy's vocals acquiesce to the crystal-covered atmosphere, drifting serenely among notes that squirm and keys that surge with mysterious energy. The flipside features two new tracks. The first one, 'Miraculous Metal', finds Jennifer exploring sonic landscapes featuring a multitude of textures that dance atop entrancing rhythms. This track pulsates with vitality. The cloudy/opaque keys at the beginning are contrasted to the soaring keys that shift in the mix, which occurs later in the track. With the rhythms situated perfectly in the mix, a deluge of electric droplets cascade in the background while sustained beams of concentrated energy ascend. A section of lustrous notes is followed by a shift in tone near the end. The other track on side B, 'Vigor', contains introspective tones that resonate within the listener - a much different track than 'Miraculous Metal'.
Released in an edition of 300 copies, this 7" features the artwork of Jesse Treece, who utilized Jennifer's collection of vintage magazines to construct by hand the gorgeous collages that adorn the front, back and labels. Secure your copy directly from La Station Radar. It is also available at Rough Trade, Norman and Experimedia.
peace and love, friends :)
