Tiny Mix Tapes

Weevil - Drunk On Light

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There are too many bands with which to compare Weevil purely depending on what you choose to focus on during any one listen, be it the disjointed yet mellow echoed vocals reminiscent of Sigur Rós, the eclectic, natural sounding beats from the scrap book of Four Tet, the flowing but grated guitar work visited by Fog, or the ambient electronic tweets and fractures occasioned by Aphex Twin during his more composed moments. Drunk On Light bridges the gap between the pure, round sound of Ninja Tune and the crisp dehumanized effects of Warp Records, establishing Wichita as a very broad, adventurous label unafraid to take a chance on new acts and sounds, thankfully showing that The Bumblebeez weren't just a one off. It works both as well-groomed dinner music or soothing background sounds for gatherings of people with vast musical disparities, which is a nice way of saying that people who hate this type of stuff should be able to sit through it without pelting you with meatballs; but, more importantly, it is interesting enough to listen to by itself. An album for all occasions, this is where the Beta Band should have gone after Hot Shots II. The only drawback I can find is the pacing and mood of the album stay pretty consistent throughout, possibly leading to boredom in the hyperactive; and the lead singer sounds a bit like Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol, which might be a hang up for some. Otherwise, toss out your Air albums and make room for these guys.

1. Out Of Time
2. Halfsmile
3. Too Long Sleeping
4. Silver Rails
5. Handburn
6. Splinters
7. Fragment
8. A Million Things
9. Bytecry
10. No End Soon
11. On Wires