Snakland

The three-person Bell/Byrne/Yu lineup, with the help of a couple of guest performers along the way, creates a fascinating collection of low-key experimental tracks on Snakland, refracting independent pop sensibilities through a variety of production touches and approaches. "Mind Phaser" is a strong high point, with what would normally be a majestic post-shoegaze anthem heavily tweaked and transformed. Byrne's vocals float up through heavy murk and echo, while his zone-out guitar work and Yu's drums are similarly treated — it's almost like hearing the song through a wall but without losing any of its power. Flecks of the dub side of Byrne's work come out a bit more clearly as the album progresses, with "Egg Chamber" mixing a deep echoed bass-and-beat combination with frazzled guitar, some strange keyboards washes, and a vocal proclaiming "Weeeeeee... are coming... from the skies." Some cuts are fairly lengthy, others mere fragments like the minute-long "Long Corridor #8," with bits of guitar fuzz and percussion kicking around quietly enough. The title track is a particularly fine fusion of approaches, with Byrne's vocals and slide guitar buried low in the mix. A drum pattern and various echoing ambient touches and quirks stand far more to the fore. "Bouncer" also has some nice guitar work, while the concluding "Exit Wound" is a good psych jammer with falsetto from Byrne and further music from a "Space Sausage" courtesy of guest performer Phil Quitsland. Extra credit goes for the cover art, featuring a friendly frog puppet on the back and the disc itself. Not quite Kermit, but an incredible simulation.