Imagine this: You discover a band/performer/producer that you really (and I
mean REALLY) like, you go out and look for their music in all the right (and
sometimes wrong) places and you immerse yourself in what you're hearing. And
after multiple repeats of their debut album you are left with the feeling that
you want more. But there is no more. That's it. Over. No information anywhere
about a new release. You're not even sure if they're working on a sophomore
album and it's eating away at you. There are two artists in my library that
expose me to this brand of musical torture: Damien Rice, who has been
working on his new album for the past 6 years. And Trifonic, who's debut
album Emergence has a fair amount of plays in my library ever since I first
discovered them back in 2009. I think I have to exercise a bit more patience on
the former. The latter, however, is finally here. And my god was it worth the
wait!
The San Fransisco based electronic project comprising of brothers Brian and
Laurence Trifon has always struck a special chord with me. Their blend of
complex rhythms and sweeping guitar phrases mixed in with accessible song
structures have always been a pleasure to listen to. It was a masterfully
composed and full of segments worthy of remembrance. It was everything a debut
album should be and more. It did make me worry at the time that their sophomore
release would in no way be able to match the depth and complexity of 2008s Emergence.
Ninth Wave is finally here…
I was prepared to be let down by it. A state of mind I immediately felt
sorry for in the first five seconds of the album opener Nightrun (a
collaboration with Australian producer Mindbuffer). It's glitchy,
dubstep-y, IDM-esque goodness with an insane amount of attention to detail and
it almost instantly made me turn up the sound to immerse myself in the warm sub-bass.
Life In Here (feat. BRML) adds vocals into the already thick mix and the
track is musically top notch. The glitched out drums and cold high frequency
details are perfectly laid on top of a warm piano line. It’s an amazingly
strong and emotional alternative pop song.
The title track Ninth Wave is a hauntingly laid back and complex
track that leans heavily on processed and cut acoustic guitar melodies. All my doubts
had vanished by this point, replaced by curiosity and eager to hear more. Baalbak
is an emotionally deep and layered track which manages to pluck the right
strings (no pun intended) with the processed guitars. Santa Rosa takes
things down a notch by trading complexity and heavy rhythmic elements for
melodic melodies and warm bass. The signature guitar harmonies are omnipresent
and the reverb takes care of placing all the elements in exactly the right
spaces, providing a convincing layer on top of a coherent distant soundscape
that leads up to the inevitable build up. Live drums and all. There’s a soft chorus
of female vocals which adds to the mysterious vibe that seems almost palpable. Calling
builds on the vibe from Santa Rosa but takes away even more complexity
and adds more ambiance, lulling you into a comfortable void.
The album closer Forget is an extremely tightly produced electropop
song with a deliciously low cut bassline that really pushes the track forward
whilst little bits of acid synths accompany a calming vocal line. As the last
few seconds of the track rush by, you cannot help but feel a little saddened by
the fact that the journey is over. Until you hit repeat.
The actual album is just under 40 minutes in length (not counting the
excellent remix by Hecq and instrumentals of Life in Here and Forget.
They also threw in a lengthy making off) and that makes it a very short album
which I find disappointing when you have been waiting for 4 years. Other than
that this release matches (and sometimes surpasses) Emergence. It's more
accessible while but also more interesting. Fans of beat driven electronic
music have to check it out. A contender for Album of the Year.
~Chris
9.2
