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Rachel's/Matmos, "Full On Night"
Rachel's gets its music spiked on this two piece extended play single. The unlikely contraband comes courtesy of San Francisco's Matmos. The Louisville-based Rachel's troupe often recruits old friends for new projects. But it seems that Rachel's merely sent tapes to Matmos' master manipulators Martin and Drew rather than convening in truly collaborative-collective fashion.
Quarterstick
The sound of the EP doesn't fall far from 1999's Selenography. For those unfamiliar with Rachel's, the music is essentially slow rock played with an array of orchestral instruments--ideal for film scores, quiet dinners, or study time. Pianist Rachel Grimes often holds the music together, perhaps donating her name to the band, and Jason Noble of Rodan and Shipping News provides much of the context
"Full on Night," which originally appeared on 1997's Handwriting, appears here in an newly re-recorded version, sounding punchier and stronger. "The Precise Temperature of Darkness" starts out as a serene Rachel's track but ends on a more violent and electronic (Matmos-ian?) note, tapering off after the 18-minute mark.
This 30-minute release leaves me much more impressed than Selenography. While reliant upon Rachel's chamber elegance rather than Matmos' electroacoustic inventiveness, Full on Night is a perfect point of introduction for fans of the one who are curious about the other.
