LACKTHEREOF
dulcet little love
Cut & Paste Collective)
***
Imagine Lackthereof's songwriter/mastermind Danny Seim at his home in Cornelius, devising new and exciting ways to layer his drums and drum machine (and of course laughing deviously). Seim does an excellent job blending the ideals of a basement project with a computer-centric recording ethic, complete with cool samples (one of which will be recognized by MAX riders). In fact, I can't tell you how much I love the drum sound. It's organic and artificial simultaneously, making the drums the focus of the album, and the melodies more like light condiments. In parts, Seim's whispered singing sneaks in eerily; in others, there are echoes of keyboards or crashes of guitar. It all ends up sounding dark and airy, yet somehow exotic and surreal. For fans of lo-fi sprinkled with electronics, this is a little gem of an album. JULIANNE SHEPHERD