The Universe Smiles Upon You ii

テキサスのトリオ、クルアンビン、2015年にリリースされた自らのデビュー・アルバムのアップデート・バージョンを再レコーディング。バンドが聴いてほしいと願う決定盤『ザ・ユニヴァース・スマイルズ・アポン・ユー ii』、リリース。

Khruangbinは2015年にリリースされたデビュー・アルバム『The Universe Smiles Upon You』のアップデート・バージョンを再レコーディング。「もし10年前に戻れるなら、自分たちに何を伝えるだろうか?」という自らへの問いかけに対し、オリジナル・バージョンと同じ方法、日時、場所でレコーディングを実施した。彼らは、自らこの新バージョンの制作を望んだ。そして、今の自分達は全く別のバンドだと考えている。
この新作こそが、バンドが聴いてほしいと願う決定盤であり、今後バンドがプロモーションするメインのバージョンとなる。また、オリジナルを手掛けたアーティストにアートワークは依頼し、新たなもの制作した。

Khruangbin celebrated the ten-year anniversary of the release of their first album by re-recording it in the same location, a barn in which theyve recorded most of their music. The Universe Smiles Upon You ii rearranges the track listing of the original, and exchanges the slow-burning opening tune "Mr. White" for "Bin Bin," a revved-up acid rock group chant originally included on a Japanese edition of the debut as a bonus track. The group has obviously become thoroughly familiar with their material, and these renditions generally feel loose, casual, and lived-in. "Little Joe and Mary" is promoted to the opening slot, and it has a crisp, rustic tone, making it sound closer to 70s folk-rock than the Afrobeat-tinged original. "Balls and Pins" switches up from an ethereal neo-psych haze to something tighter and more upbeat, with stop-start drumming that sounds similar to the oft-sampled "Ashleys Roachclip" breakbeat, yet the bass sounds as atmospheric and untethered as the original. "White Gloves," one of the original albums most vocal-based songs, sounds clearer and more upfront this time, but doesnt pile more drama on a song thats already quite elegiac. Only on a handful of tracks does the band stretch the songs out and explore their moods at length. "People Everywhere" expands to nearly eight minutes here, adding trickling textures and lots of dubby echo, and giving it a bit more of a disco groove, though it doesnt quite feel as spicy as the original. "Two Fish and an Elephant" sounded calm and laid-back to begin with, and this version is even more chilled-out, echo-enhanced, and easier to lounge on the beach to. The group wisely decided to keep the final track the same on both versions of the album. "Zionsville" was originally a cool, swaying vibe kissed by slide guitar, and this version has glowing keyboards and trip-hop-style drumming, making it sound more propulsive as well as more intimate. Up to this point, Khruangbin have largely stayed within their lane. Theyve found their groove and they continue to explore subtle variations on their signature sound, which pulls from countless international influences, so it seems like there are always different angles for them to approach their material from. The Universe Smiles Upon You ii isnt necessarily an improvement on the original, sounding more like the group checking up on old friends and seeing how theyve grown. ~ Paul Simpson