Yellow6 - Merry6mas 2007
[MakeMineMusic]

Now in its ninth year, music’s very own ‘annual giftman’ Jon Attwood / Yellow6 returns with his “Merry6mas” series, with the 2007 edition culminating in the pairing of fresh, unreleased material with some very intriguing remixes of other artists work. 2007 saw no fewer than seven Y6 releases, from his Resonant full-length “Painted Sky” (read the review) right down to a limited Fugues CD-R, so it is testament to Mr. Attwood’s abilities that he still has enough left-over in his locker to suitably compliment this series of holiday gifts.

Left-over however, does these pieces a disservice as the first five tracks, all home recordings, are not a collection of half-baked, half-hearted ideas. Instead, they retain the qualities we have come to expect from a Y6 recording. Notably, the lulling, melodic guitar work that he develops into rich and emotive soundscapes.

“Burning Holes into the Sky” starts this disc superbly, bubbling with immersive tension for its near eight minute duration. It is followed by the gorgeous “Diamond” which layers harpsichord-like chimes over a comforting, full-bodied chord structure, creating an almost medieval atmosphere. “In Some Other” cranks up the distortion ensuring the disc doesn’t walk over the same paths twice, while “Phase1” fills every bit of space with over-lapping guitar notes until there is almost no room to breathe.

“Down” will appeal to fans of San Francisco collective Carta, as it is collaboration between Attwood and Jason Perez. Edited down from two long jam sessions, into a compact six minute piece, “Down” is initially notable for the first inclusion of percussion on this record. Coming across like a less claustrophobic Massive Attack, the clunking beats compliment Attwood’s subtle guitar and Perez’s psychedelic keyboard swirls.

Of the three remixes featured, Attwood’s reworking of Port-Royal’s “Karola Bloch” is the most pleasing, offering a fascinating insight into the Italians’ original composition form their “Flares” debut (Flares review link). For starters, the sample is no longer obscured as Attwood rearranges the euphoric synths, beats and glistening effects. Less direct than the original, this version is the sort of music I’d expect to capture the mood surrounding and Ibizan sunset. Attwood augments this piece adding his distinctive guitar without ever detracting from the original.

For a musician that is closing in on 60 releases, Y6 still retains passion for his music, when others are simply going through the motions. 2008 promises to be even busier for Mr. Attwood and we can only hope he continues this rich vein of form. “Merry6mas2007” features Yellow6’s full repertoire and his variety of guitar textures. I can certainly think of a lot worse to spend your last fiver on.

Track Listing:

1. Burning holes in the sky
2. Diamond
3. In some other
4. L4
5. Phase1
6. Down
7. LAM-Y6 (collaboration with LAM)
8. Karola Bloch (Port-Royal remixed by Y6)
9. Life On Mars (Televise remixed by Y6)