New Music - AU 'Solid Gold' (The Leaf Label, 2012)

A new year, more great new music.

I know nothing about AU but usually trust Leaf to come up with something special (see Triosk, Nancy Elizabeth, Efterklang, Phelan Shepherd, Beige and a host of others). So I gave this a listen and was blown away once it hit its uncategorisable stride.

I'll be honest, I'm not sure what it is. It opens like a pub/folk song sung by John Grant before breaking into a frantic, rolling burst of kinetic percussion and fiddling. It builds to a frenzy then pauses momentarily before moving into Battles territory, an irresistable meld of hi-life guitar, clattering percussion and rollicking pace. Then it mutates again with simmering sax from Colin Stetson, tuba and trombone, all amidst a frenzy of mind-bending drumming.

Something of a trip and a great start to 2012.

Available as 7" or download from The Leaf Label shop.



AU - 'Solid Gold' by theleaflabel