Various - Archetype : A Dynamophone Compendium
[Dynamophone Records]

It is always pleasant when you discover a label that’s sole existence, it seems, is to cater for your musical tastes. Late last year, I stumbled across San Francisco’s Dynamophone Records through A Lily’s gorgeous "Wake: Sleep" album. From there I went on a mission of exploration, becoming enchanted by the glacial sounds of Iceland’s Pornopop, Curium’s interesting electronic adaptations of E.E Cummings poems and R/R Coseboom’s innovative Indietronic sound.

"Archetype..." collects some of these aforementioned artists and places it with newer material from forthcoming Dynamophone releases. Each of the eight artists featured contribute two tracks each, giving a unique insight into this fantastic independent label. As the title of this sampler suggests, Dynamophone aim to provide fresh sounds, through original concepts and judging by the quality on offer here, they are well on their way to achieving this.

Of the older material both A Lily and Pornopop delight on this compendium, two differing artists just begging to be discovered. A Lily is the solo project of Yndi Halda guitarist James Vella and he contributes the superb toybox-electronica of “I Am to You”, while “The Sleepers” mixes distant synths and lushly plucked acoustic guitar over an invigorating electronic beat.

Pornopop are brothers Ágúst and Pétur Einarsson whose compositions can only be described as the missing link between latter day Radiohead and Icelandic compatriots Sigur Rós (in fact the brothers musical background has intertwined with members of Sigur Rós in the past). “...And The Slow Songs about the Dead Calm in Your Arms” is a masterpiece, hailed as the next important record to come out of Iceland. It won’t take a genius to work out why; “Yfirtonar’s” drifting, evocative melody is blended with acoustic instrumentation and little bubbles and gurgles of electronic sound, while fragile vocals drip across the mix. Pornopop compositions are so delicate, that you fear they may break in two even with the slightest gust of wind.

However, it is the fresh material that should be of most interest here, it is always intriguing to see how a label is going to develop and, despite being in its infancy, Dynamophone has a concrete idea of the direction it intends to move in. Contributions from Danish wunderkind Po, the mysterious Balustrade Ensemble and the mesmerizing Disinterested are impressive, while The Abbasi Brothers’ cinematic ambiance and Britain’s very own Rigil show they are artists that have charismatic abilities in spades.

Po is 18-year old Danish prodigy Daniel Porcelli who, inspired by the likes of Manual and Múm, creates a shoegaze/electronic sound that defies his youth. The most recent Dynamophone release, his album “The Sound of Summer Silence” delights with its multi-layered approach and effortless blend of instrumentation and inventive electronics. Porcelli chooses not to use software plug-ins instead constructing most of his sound from raw materials.

The Balustrade Ensemble are a different proposition altogether. Mark November 5th in your diaries, for this is the day Dynamophone unleash the lavish steampunk sounds of “Capsules” upon an unsuspecting music world. Steampunk is a movement interested in exploring the Fantasy/Sci-Fi ideas of authors like H.G Wells and Jules Verne, worlds where anachronistic technologies exist. Contributing two tracks, The Balustrade Ensemble’s “Tangle in Delirium” is a ghostly passage with tantalizing pedal steel echoes and arctic guitar slides that point to a Victorian influence. “The Drawing Calm”, meanwhile, recalls some sinister aspects of Walter/Wendy Carlos’ “A Clockwork Orange” score, a film based on an Anthony Burgess novel, that can be defined by inconceivable technological inventions that defy the timeframe.

Elsewhere, both California-based The Abbasi Brothers and Rigil hint at things to come, with the latter in particular set to break hearts when his debut full-length hits in 2008, judging by the dazzling “Wheatfields”.

Last, but certainly not least, Trespassers William guitarist Matt Brown delivers two tracks from his forthcoming “Behind Us” release. Set to feature several compositions in the Shoegaze-ambient vein, not a million miles from Robin Guthrie and Harold Budd’s recent collaboration, “What You Wanted” is lifted from the album and is a delicious taster incorporating a triumphant, euphoric accumulation of blurring ambiance and echo-drenched guitar.

A thoroughly engrossing sampler, featuring both old and new material, this is your chance to discover the magical sounds held within Dynamophone’s walls. Euphonic and warm music, that will appeal to fans of labels like Type, n5MD, City Centre Offices and Neo Ouija.

Track Listing:

01. January - Disinterested
02. What You Wanted - Disinterested
03. Centre - Pornopop
04. Yfirtonar - Pornopop
05. Stacey's Day Parade - The Abbasi Brothers
06. No Idea - The Abbasi Brothers
07. Wheatfields - Rigil
08. Full Circle - Rigil
09. Tangle In Delirium - The Balustrade Ensemble
10. The Drowning Calm - The Balustrade Ensemble
11. Summer Morning - Po
12. Ten One - Po
13. Hollywood Ending - R/R Coseboom
14. Visitor Hummingbird - R/R Coseboom
15. I Am To You - A Lily
16. The Sleepers - A Lily