Kranky
Three years after Dave Pearce released Mirroras Flying Saucer attack, he's now teamed up with Jessica Bailiff toform Clear Horizon. It sounds exactly as I expected a collaborationbetween those two, and I can't imagine anything better. There isn'tmuch indication as to which one of the two initiated the writing on anyof the songs, rather it comes across exactly as what it is: years oftrading tapes of sketches that eventually coalesced into songs. Bailiffdominates the vocal duties, and does a wonderful job. Bathed in reverband echo, just like the surrounding music, she warms the songs intosomething more human than the wintry drones behind her would initiallysuggest. The music is a wonderful throwback to "phase 1" era FlyingSaucer Attack, before he delved more into the beats; simple acousticguitar figures shrouded in white noise and whistling-teapot feedback.It is music completely without edges, enveloping and comforting in asomber sort of way. They only misstep with the closing track, "OpenRoad," driven by a very dated-sounding beat and relatively (veryrelatively) poppy vocals. Though by any other standards a subdued song,it positively roars compared to the rest of the record, and doesn'tplay well with the others. It's easy enough to stop listening before itcomes on though. The rest of Clear Horizon is wonderful enough that you won't want to stop a moment too soon.

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