A Closer Listen
The kinetic energy of Bristol looping duo Socks and Ballerinas is hard to resist – so why try? It’s easier to give in to their supercharged tone. Just check out the video for “Newton,” the album’s first single, a cracker at only 2:22. Leonardo Calamati plays guitar, bass and synths, while Katalin Helfenbein plays drums. The looping helps them to sound even larger. Splitting the difference between rock and electronic, they exude a cheerful, upbeat vibe, coming across as a jam band. In the video, the colors and angles keep changing, a reflection of the duo’s free approach to shifting time signatures. They make funny faces. They lie down. In the most exciting scenes, they start bashing the walls. This duo knows how to have fun, a facet that should translate well to their live shows.
The follow-up, “Outside In,” is a little more personal and sedate, although that’s a relative term. A dog barks at the beginning over the gentle twitter of birds. Then the track becomes a doggie romp, with a cat as a guest star. Heads will nod; tails will wag. This is one happy canine, having the Best Doggie Day. But where is Leonardo? We hear him, but we don’t see him. Or is the dog Leonardo? That would be an epic reveal.
“Venta Black” and “Chemical” deserve to be the follow-up singles. The first launches the set with a shout of “Baby” and some swift electronic fuzz. But the song is made during its bass breakdown, which may remind some of The White Stripes. The second emphasizes the duo’s electronic side, as the arcade beeps betray the duo’s video game connection, “Salmon Soup” having been showcased on the CONTROL OST.
The duo is no one trick pony; they’re capable of even more, as demonstrated by “Muscle Monsters” and “Milk43.” “Muscle Monsters” clocks in at 6:25, not especially long, but long for the duo. Taking full advantage of the stereo field, the track takes off early with separations and echoes – the section starting at 1:39 has the greatest appeal – and brings it home with the groove. In “Milk43,” the duo allows their progressive rock tendencies to shine, with a slower tempo and a patient build. The distortion builds until it breaks; the clouds clear until the next cluster approaches.
A Little Jumpy! is the perfect title for this caffeinated release; even when the duo switches to decaf, they remain energetic. The set is a great pick-me-up, a tonic for the sleepy soul. (Richard Allen)
Mon Oct 07 00:01:39 GMT 2024