Fredo Viola - The Sad Song
[Because Music]

The Sad Song is the debut release for New York-based multimedia artist Fredo Viola and it's more than a mixed bag of surprises along the way. Spread across a 10" and a 12", this six-track collection sees three original Viola recordings, as well as remixes from Tunng, Prinz Thomas and Roland Appel.

On lead track The Sad Song, the lead vocal sounds so uncannily like Thom Yorke you will be double-checking the CD sleeve in no time. Here Viola builds layers of different vocals and droning harmonies that act as the lead instruments, and only the sparsest of discreet keyboards are added. You get the feeling this is what Mr Yorke was really aiming for on his solo album The Eraser

Next, Hogwash can only be described as electronic-blues, crafted by a pick-n-mix of clattering percussion and Jew's Harp, as well as nasally-delivered vocals enwrapped by reverb and echo. Then finally is Ether - a haunting, cinematic faux-film-score as though The Beach Boys had been brought-up listening to Goblin soundtracks (influential Italian composers who created the scores for such classic films as Dawn Of The Dead and Suspiria).

Starting the remix side of things, Tunng do their usual bit; glitchy electronics, bongos, acoustic guitars and the finished song more than sounds like Animal Collective circa Sung Tongs - no bad thing at all. Roland Appel then, couldn't be more different, as we hear a steady 4/4 beat and a barrage of synths and bass.

The final remix is a sort of calm after the storm, if you will. After the uneasy listening of Viola's original songs, Prinzhorn Thomas takes a minimal techno route that is virtually instrumental, except for the occasional vocal harmony that dances inbetween synths and pumelling Roland beats. While it may be minimal, it is more than full-bodied.

There is literally an album's worth of ideas here, so The Sad Song EP is well worth tracking-down this month. There is a heck of a lot of promise being shown too, so one can only hope the follow-up is just as entertaining.

10" Track Listing:

1. The Sad Song
2. Hogwash
3. Ether
4. The Sad Song (Tunng Remix)

12" Track Listing:

A. The Sad Song (Roland Appel Remix)
B. The Sad Song (Prinz Thomas Remix)