Macro＜限定盤/Tangerine Vinyl＞

パーカッショニスト/シンガー・ソングライターのBrijean Murphy(Mitski、Poolside、Toro y Moiなどのライブでパーカッションを担当)とマルチ・インストゥルメンタリスト/プロデューサーのDoug Stuartによるユニット。グルーヴのあるトラックと囁くようなボーカルが曖昧なコントラストを生み出す柔らかなダンスサウンド。"Laura "にはChris Cohen、"Rollercoaster"ではKhruangbin'の"DJ" Johnson Jrが参加するなど様々なアレンジが施されたポップなサウンドとなっています。

Balmy, sundrenched mood music like youd find on a vintage 1970s vinyl LP is alive and well on Brijeans third full-length album, 2024s Macro. Showcasing the talents of singer/percussionist Brijean Murphy and bassist/instrumentalist/producer Doug Stuart, the album follows 2021s Feelings and once again finds them diving deep into a pastel-colored pool of loungey grooves and melodies that sway like a beach umbrella. The duo recorded the album at their home in Altadena, a relaxed mountain suburb of Los Angeles that seems to fit the chill, mid-century vibe they conjure on Macro. While Brijeans music is rooted in bossa nova, AM pop, and funk influences, Macro is one of their most stylistically well-rounded productions. Cuts like "Euphoric Avenue" and "Counting Sheep" have a shimmering, timeless quality, evoking the work of indie icons like Stereolab and Pizzicato Five as much as classic exotica lounge acts like Esquivel. These are songs that nicely frame Murphys hushed angel baby vocals in analog-sounding synths, samples, and drum machines. They also make room for a blend of instruments here, as on the slowly churning astral folk number "Roxy," where Ryan Richters pedal steel cascades like stardust against a plucked acoustic guitar, orchestral synths, and woody percussion accents. Yet, as relaxing as much of the album is, there are moments of bubbly, dancefloor pizazz. The evocatively titled "Bang Bang Room" sounds like a lost 60s ye-ye pop hit remixed in the 90s by a French house DJ. We also get the Italo-disco-meets-Brazilian-Tropicalia of "Workin On It" and the DayGlo disco-house anthem "Roller Coaster." ~ Matt Collar