Just when I think I've finally rid myself of the ubiquitous pop demon that is
present in nearly every corner of the music world, an album will come out that
sounds extremely fresh and unique, making me fall in love with pop all over
again. This idea has proven fairly consistent over the past several years. With
Max Tundra's brilliant songwriting and flawless execution on his sophomore
release, the year 2002 is no exception: Mastered by Guy at the Exchange
is hand-down the most fun and exciting listen of the year.
The fact that this eclectic album can conjure images of dancing in your trendiest downtown club and beating the castle in Super Mario Land (Gameboy version) is astonishing enough, but even more astonishing is the fact that it works in its favor. The way Mastered blends a plethora of sounds in a structured collage format is much like The Avalanches' Since I Left You and The Books' Thought for Food, but not sample-based. Instead, the album is chock full of instrumental goodies, employing piano, organ, drum machines, keyboards, and synths galore. And all of them support the never-dying, always-trying melodies.
Though melodic-pop is certainly an apt descriptor, in no way do the songs completely adhere to pop conventionalism. The structures are unpredictable and full of short tangents that will have you on your toes for each passing minute. The mood rarely wavers throughout its near 40-minutes of pop goodness. It's consistently light-hearted, whimsical, and extremely giddy. It's as if Ben Jacobs' (mastermind behind Max Tundra) hit record in a room full of instruments and giant Pixy Sticks.
There are so many stand-out songs that it's near impossible to highlight them all without resorting to track-by-track analysis. But it would be criminal not to mention the following three: "Lysine," "Lights," and "Labial." The former is a head-nodding ditty that exploits infectious synth noodling with the most melodic of melodies in near embarassing fashion. This song, as well as many others on the album, features Jacobs' sister taking vocal duties. "Lights" exhibits Ben's unique vocal stylings, as it snaps, crackles, and pops its way to musical heaven. It sounds as if it's run through a million filters and electronic processes, rendering an R&B song that would fit quite well on radio if it weren't so fucking weird. Album closer "Labial" is the most dependent on the vocal melody. Again, Jacobs' sister takes the mic and runs with it.
Mastered by Guy at the Exchange is music for those suffering from electronic/IDM ADD. The first few listens is jaw-droppingly enjoyable, and unlike most pop albums, the subsequent listens prove just as, if not more, enjoyable. The incredible density of sounds take time to foray into your ears, but through repeated ear exercising, you should have no problem sifting along. After so many listens, I still know there is a lot more to hear; I discover new sounds with every spin. You'll start to notice little things in the music (I just noticed that each track is six characters long). Make no mistake, we are dealing with one complex robot here.
It might be easiest to think of Max Tundra as a more streamlined Nobukazu Takemura or more carefree Dntel. But comparisons are ultimately pointless; Mastered stands alone as an anomaly in the electronic IDM field. The sounds used are not particularly new, but the meticulous structure and layers upon layers of counterpoints are very fresh. It's one of those albums that makes you wonder why no one else has come out with it yet. Sure, there are albums that are close in style and execution, but Max Tundra's sophisticated engineering is virtually untouchable, placing the album in its own class.
1. Merman
2. MBGATE
3. Lysine
4. Fuerte
5. Pocket
6. Cabasa
7. 61Over
8. Lights
9. Hilted
10. Acorns
11. Gondry
12. Labial
More about: Max Tundra
