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A huge wave of advance buzz has preceded the first proper studio album by Ariel Pink, the oddball singer/songwriter who’s built up an impressive following through a ridiculously prolific outpouring of lo-fi home recordings. If you’ve been worried that going pro might sand down all those brilliantly rough edges, have no fear – Pink is as wild-eyed and weird as ever, just with less tape hiss and distortion.
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For the uninitiated, Pink’s vibe is all about a kaleidoscope of half-remembered music from his childhood, filtered through an LSD-drenched haze. Everything, from soft rock to post-punk to funk, is given equal importance, making for an oddly familiar yet totally alien sound. At times you kind of wish he’d settle down and just write a proper pop song, but the intoxicating mess of textures and ideas is too addictive and fascinating to complain about.
Top track: Round And Round
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti play the Mod Club July 22.
