Lali Puna
title:: Scary World Theory
label:: Morr Music
format:: CD
This
CD is much better than I figured it would be! Morr Music to me always represented
electronica. Lali Puna are very vocal song based on this disc. Lali Puna
are a band from Munich that are fronted by Korean vocalist Valerie Trebeljahr,
with members of The Notwist, Iso 68, Tied & Tickled Trio, and the man
who records as Console. 'Scary World Theory' runs a short 38 minutes, but
the length is perfect for the consistent songs placed right in a row. My
faves are the opening cut "Nin-com-pop", "Contratempo" (#4), "Don't
Think" (#8), and "Come On Home" (#9). There is only one instrumental
on the CD. "50 Faces Of" is not one of my favorite cuts. When you
play an instrumental, it needs to have an upfront feature to engage me. For
instance, the first song on Mum's Morr Music CD had this percussive sound
thrown so far out front it defined the cut. "50 Faces Of" is just
standard fare electronica to me. I really want to hear the 7" remix
single of "Nin-com-pop". I'll bet Two Lone Swordsmen put the same
magic into the cut as they did on the great mix of "Heart Failed (In
The Back Of A Taxi)" they did for Saint Etienne. "Nin-com-pop" sounds
a lot like the Berlin duo Quarks who record for Monika Enterprises. The music
and the vocal are excellent. "Contratempo" has French vocals sung
through a device which makes them sound like an answering machine message.
The music has the prevalent bass sound that Contriva use, pulling a debt
which goes back to Peter Hook, the bassist of Joy Division. "Don't Think" and "Come
On Home" have an almost 'Miss Kittin' or Ladytron deadpan vocal. To
certain degrees all of the four favorite cuts I chose on this disc have that
kind of vocal. Many of the other tracks have a whispered vocal that I don't
like as much, but I like this disc very much for #'s 1, 4, 8 and 9.
- --Carl
