Overgrown Path

Throughout the '00s, multi-instrumentalist Chris Cohen made quirky and creative records with his band The Curtains, simultaneously working with artists like Deerhoof, Cass McCombs, and Ariel Pink. In the late '00s he started another rather experimental pop project, Cryptacize, and in 2012 he released his first solo work, Overgrown Path. Playing all the instruments himself, Cohen turns out a sneakily sophisticated collection of pop gems that are kissed with lo-fi warmth but shimmer in a surprisingly bright fashion. "Monad" unfolds in a myriad of color, opening with a stretch of rumbling unsteadiness that sounds like a helicopter being dragged by a train (underground) and a brief Neil Young–ish guitar riff before blossoming into a breezy pop tune with pianos and cymbals. The surprises here are quiet but abundant. Glowing piano and organ tones suddenly turn dour; a guitar creates flanged '70s pop notes over acoustic jangles in one track but scratches out wooly imprints elsewhere. Cohen's voice veers between postmodern detachment and vintage AM radio star. Fading psychedelic overtones envelope many of these tunes, and a somber tone dominates.