Dreaming of Warmer Days: Toro Y Moi

Following the path of such rising 2009 acts as Neon Indian, Memory Tapes and fellow South Carolinian Ernest Greene (aka Washed Out), recent University of South Carolina grad Chazwick Bundick has released an album that can perhaps save us Carleton students from the dregs of winter term.

Like the aforementioned artists' work, "Causers of This" contains a warped, faded sound resembling that of a cassette tape possibly left a little too long in a warm car. The album, like Neon Indian's 2009 "Psychic Chasms", is injected with a healthy dose of A.D.D. - Bundick, on multiple occasions radically changes the pace of his songs at seemingly random points; for example, the tail end of the single "Blissa" drops out into jumbled guitar notes slowly fading away until track 2, "Minors", jumps out with oohs, aahs and the familiar colorful, blissful pop akin to this developing genre.

Despite its (potentially) pejorative connotations, there really is no better way to describe "Causes of This" than the word 'chill'. The sound is unchallenging and easy-going, the songs float in and out of each other; judging by the picture on the right, Budwick seems like a pretty chill guy. On one hand, Toro y Moi's sound is a composite of many contemporary influences from all over the spectrum: Animal Collective, the Chillwave crew, there is also an infusion of Flying Lotus-esque dubstep (check out the bass-heavy 'Fax Shadow) and neo-funk a la Stone's Throw's own Dam-Funk. However, despite the "alt-acopia" sound, the album is a promising example of what a lot of emerging artists in the next few years may sound like.


With already two rising chill stars under its belt, Columbia, SC could quite possibly become the next So-Cal. When this cold, cold winter finally passes, keep this glowing, blissful album in mind - it may be the perfect companion to a sunny walk in the arb.





Blessa

Minors

Fax Shadow

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