Poltergeists is a biweekly feature in which Michael and Wes share tracks that they have had on repeat over the past two weeks. This week, Vancouver's Animal Bodies took some time to lay out some tracks that they've been bumping.
Them Are Us Too - "Eudaemonia"
We played with Them Are Us Too a few weeks ago and I have been listening to this ever since. Everything about this song is absolutely beautiful. Music that you can close your eyes too, feel yourself floating through and be reassured by is such a rare and special thing. During my adolescence, it was terribly easy to fall in love with so many songs and feel a personal and deep connection with them. Those songs put their arms around me, comforted me and pulled me into them in a way that made me feel like I made as much sense as they did. As I left my adolescence behind it became harder to share those same moments with music. Maybe my understanding of music changed; perhaps it became too analytical, too jaded… Or maybe life’s distractions and interruptions managed to get in the way too often. Maybe I just listen to too much shitty dance music now. Whatever the reason, it feels like that kind of song happens less despite my love of music not having faltered since I was a child. This is one of those rare and gorgeous songs that I feel entirely comfortable and understood in. And they’re wonderful people to be around.
Beta Evers - “Don’t Be Afraid”
We listened to Beta Evers often while driving from city to city on our last tour (along with a great deal of other more unmentionable, secret music) and it made for some wonderfully hypnotic night drives. This song in particular has stuck with me. There are a few synth basslines that I wish I had written: Jam On It (Newcleus), Lightning Man (Nitzer Ebb), Closer (NIN) and this one. The leveled tension that is characteristic of her songs is perfectly played out in Don’t Be Afraid and gets me totally tranced out everytime I hear it. And that soft, flute like repeating melody...
Hard Corps - “Desolation Land”
Hard Corps never received the success they deserved when they were active. For all the great bands that have based their sound entirely around the use of synthesizers, few understood how to use them like Hard Corps did. Their ability to program, layer and mix the electronics is something I rarely hear from synth based bands to the degree that they could. The sounds they coaxed out of their instruments swim elegantly between each other and blend into the perfect balance between sequenced rhythms and pure soundscapes. The science and art behind sound design on a synthesizer is often underestimated and overlooked. So too is the possibility to develop your own style of sound with an instrument that has the potential to be so unique but is often just made to sound like a few easily recognizable machines and genres. Hard Corps made their instruments sound like Hard Corps. As it should be.
Technotronic - “Pump up the Jam”
Lately whenever I start drinking (often) I go for this song first. What’s not to like? A full, pounding 909 kit and a fairly unique sounding synth bass. Technotronic was a studio based group that spawned from the Belgian New Beat scene in the late 1980’s. I don’t have much else to say about this song other than to state the obvious; there are clearly some hidden messages buried deep within the complexities of the lyrics. And the video is pretty sick.