Lets Turn It into Sound

Right from its first few seconds, Lets Turn It into Sound immediately sounds like a bold new chapter in Kaitlyn Aurelia Smiths discography. A twisted, kaleidoscopic sequence of mutated circus melodies and hammering kick drums introduces Smiths vocals, which often make extreme leaps between notes. Flurries of percussive hits, bubbling synths, and woodwinds appear and disappear with no warning, and prickly beats sleepwalk into the faint saxophones that preface the next track. A far cry from the ambient pop of The Kid or the balmy new age meditations of Tides and The Mosaic of Transformation, Lets Turn It into Sound is a busy, colorful clash of hyperactive rhythms and crisscrossing vocals accurately described by its creator as "a puzzle." "Is It Me or Is It You?" begins with a more on-the-grid dance beat, which is overlaid with layers of vocals set at various pitches. After a few beatless passages, Smiths distorted, sleepy-sounding vocals inquire if shes being seen, as a chunky techno beat churns away. Other pieces shuffle between semi-danceable rhythms, chirping electronics, and hypnotic vocal exercises. Its a dense, unpredictable work, yet it never feels overbearingly tense, as Smith provides plenty of breathing room. When the beats do arrive, theyre swift and propulsive, but like the rest of the sounds and textures, theyre malleable and dont head in any one direction. "There Is Something" stretches its tempo up and down, and the beats will often shift abruptly into reverse. The brief conclusion "Give to the Water" is a spacy comedown, all billowing synths and extended vocal phrases. Lets Turn It into Sound is a complex, angular construction, yet its not a demanding, impenetrable work, as Smith invites the listener to join her on a spirited, boundless journey. ~ Paul Simpson

アメリカ西海岸を拠点とするアーティストが作り上げた9枚目のアルバム。さまざまなシンセサイザーとエフェクトを駆使して制作されたサウンドは驚きでいっぱいだ。人懐っこいメロディーもあれば、急進的で複雑なリズムも飛びだす。容赦なく声を切り刻むなど、アレンジの奇抜さも際立っている。初期のワンオートリックス・ポイント・ネヴァー、ホリー・ハーンドン、山口美央子あたりの電子音が好きならハマる作品だと思う。
bounce (C)近藤真弥