Corbu – Crayon Soul (Out Today via 3 Beat (EU), Big Picnic (US))

New York neo-psych band Corbu self-produced album ‘Crayon Soul’ follows two acclaimed EPs, ‘We Are Sound’ and ‘Everything You Imagine Is Real’, which garnered much praise. Said to captures the spirit of their collaboration with Dave Fridmann (Tame Impala, MGMT, The Flaming Lips), who mixed the band’s new album.

As the band wrote the music for ‘Crayon Soul’, a story began to emerge, pulled from the Corbu’s collective subconscious and inspired by animated sci-fi like Fantastic Planet, Interstella 5555 and Adventure Time. Or as  frontman Jonathan Graves says: “When we wrote the story for the album, a whole universe opened up for us. We referenced it constantly while finishing the songs and mixing them with Dave, and each piece of artwork we made is a snapshot from the ‘movie’ of ‘Crayon Soul’.”

From the opening sways and washes of debut album ‘Crayon Soul’  courtesy of track 1, ‘Sirens’, boy/girl duo Corbu inflate the anticipation of what’s to come. ‘Polygon Forest’ then lands, agree with friends that this is a nod back to more ‘symphonic electronic’ days, although the guitar parts arriving later on which are equally welcomed. On an increasingly eclectic album, the brighter poppier ‘Neon Hallway’ gives way to the richer, darker side with ‘Through Emptiness’ appealing occasional guitar led  atmospheres.  ‘Branches’ electronic dislocated vocals progressive and regressive looser structures work before the track metamorphoses into truer electronica of another age.

It get’s more tropical on ‘Prism’ while still psychedelic and still finds an agreeable space, followed by the approved ‘Better Better’ to reverbed-out guitars of single ‘Battles’ which speaks for itself. ‘Marching Orders’ and ‘We Are Sound’ and last track ‘Dark Wave’ all deliver in one if not another aspect.

Just please Corbu stick to good music, if they made cakes my fitness regime would have to increase two-fold. As it is the duo have delivered on the 12 tracks of ‘Crayon Soul’ on this occasion a recommended blend of styles, it does not happen every month. Corbu are about to go on tour with Bloc Party on the evidence of the debut album, well deserved. 8/10

Steve Janes

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