Avey Tare - 7s (Album Review)

 

Avey Tare - 7s

(2023)

My copy: limited 2023 press on violet vinyl by Domino.

Cows On Hourglass Pond saw Avey Tare embrace the synthesizer more intimately again, creating a tighter relationship between the acoustic melancholy of Eucalyptus and the electronic variety of his earlier solo works. 7s then extrapolates again on his love of electronics, now patching walls of unique sounds to simplistic rhythmic loops - the mood now more open and accepting. Sometimes the structures do not evolve enough, but Tare has proven himself consistent in his mastery of layering.

“Invisible Darlings” uses percussive cradle melodies to continue Tare’s frequent fixation on innocence, with chirping piano and warm guitar joining as if to score a cherished memory of running along a boardwalk carnival. As his use of layering evolves, so does Tare’s ability to compensate for an abundance of instrumentation, as “Lips At Night” manages to feel light and snappy even in denser passages of whirring electronics. Tare typically sets a groove and then builds around the foundation with sound collages and wraith-like vocal whispers, as is the case with the addicting bassline of “The Musical” which successfully relies on repetition. 

Slow shivering ambiance boots up “Hey Bog”- a nine minute journey into trickling keys and fumbling psychedelic effects. A backbone slowly rises as oozing bass and mysterious chords are grafted in, paying off with a rewarding thick synth atmosphere. “Sweeper’s Grin” picks up where the prior track left off, now settling into a deep trance of oscillating rhythms that gradually become more and more hypnotic. 

Tare flirts with intensity in the loosely industrial loop at the center of “Neurons” though any perceived hostility is instantly eradicated by welcoming guitar chords and afro-pop inspired melodic. The harsh static is repeatedly forced away by tender melodies for marimba and vocals, as Tare’s intentionally unusual pronunciation of “neurons” extends over a busy bassline that twists not unlike frantically firing synapses. Some patches of tambourine and marimba feel unwelcome, as if Tare is perhaps a bit too scared of inviting something genuinely intense in this album, or perhaps afraid of retreading old ground. The vocal performances of “Cloud Stop Rest Start” is exceptionally expressive and even haunting at times though the tired, midi-adjacent-sound of the central loop becomes almost excruciating near the end. Flute attempts to save the music in the end, but it comes too late to feel especially compelling. 

And so Avey Tare’s latest solo chapter passes, his fancy turning a bit more obviously to a fusion of exotic sounds/melodies and synthesizer textures. 7s has less obvious standout moments upon first listen, but over time it delivers a special sort of comfort that Tare’s earlier works have difficulty approaching. 7s is the record of a man who has matured in the light of his past chaotic youthful howling and bemoaning, into something more at ease; even as he observes the world shifting uncomfortably around him.