Written by Fense
It begins with static, not quite white noise, maybe feedback. Gradually, decipherable sound fades in, but the original noise remains. Combined, “Heavens On Ice” is numbing, a drone blessed with the prickly icicles of a hazy winter morning fog. Then it morphs into… something… say, something along the lines of a less psychotic Wolf Eyes, but just as far out in space.
There’s a dichotomy here that must be relayed, two opposing sides at war. One is the light, the other is dark. One is pleasant, something you could befriend; the other a black soul, seemingly empty, but ever present. The two fight: when one gains ground, the other subsides, but never for long.
It is quite apparent that The Present has a relationship with Animal Collective – I believe Rusty Santos produced both Sung Tongs and Panda Bear’s Person Pitch. Elements of that sound can be heard in tunes like “World I See” and “Africanized Beatniks”. But the cake topper is “Love Melody”, beginning with a pleasant swirl of piano and atmospheric sounds. Get ready to hear more from these guys; with this unique a sound, they’ll likely grow into something even more exciting than found on World I See.
The Present: Love Melody [mp3]
[audio:090114_the_present_-_love_melody.mp3|titles=Love Melody|artists=The Present]
Loaf Recordings [CD, 2008]
1. Heavens On Ice
2. World I See
3. Love Melody
4. Symbols On High
5. Africanized Beatniks
6. The Hunt