eMusic Review 0
This is where Keepaway prove they’re not playing. Over the course of a couple EPs and a Das Racist collaboration or two, the Brooklyn trio established themselves as one of the more endearing of the many psych-tinged electronic-pop bands floating somewhere between Animal Collective’s tropical squawks and MGMT’s aggressive fluorescence. This 10-song, 37-minute debut doesn’t quite have the sharply-honed songwriting to improve on those influences, but it does make good on the promise of 2010 standout “Yellow Wings,” adding a few new textures as it sets up Keepaway as worthy of sharing a bill with Passion Pit, Yeasayer or Hooray for Earth. Or, to an extent, even L.A. beatmakers like Flying Lotus and Matthewdavid.
The official video for first track “Cake” shows Keepaway in three-part split-screen, goofing around in front of a tree. Sounds about right. Avoiding a single focal point, Mike Burakoff (samplers), Frank Lyon (drums) and Nick Nauman (guitar) all share vocal duties, and while there’s definitely a sylvan quality to Black Flutes‘ hollow beats and campfire harmonies, these are no stone-faced shamans. “Hologram” ventures into grinding-ready dubstep bass wobble; synthy, Afropop-nodding reverie “Bomb Track” ends with what appears to be assurance that women can’t measure men’s size as… read more »
