Grimes: Halfaxa

Grimes
Halfaxa
Rating: Grrrr

I stumbled upon Montreal electronic artist Grimes (artist Claire Boucher) by accident while reading a review on another music website. The article led me to her artist page that lists influences as disparate as Mariah Carey, The Smiths, Cocteau Twins, and Prince. Based on the two sound clips provided, I really couldn't determine if that statement was a joke or completely on point. Needless to say, I was, at the very least, intrigued by what I heard.

The best synopsis of her sound is a dancier and more left field version of Bjork (if that is at all possible), with breathier vocals a la The Cranes, and elements of Dead Can Dance, Bat For Lashes, Kate Bush, and Elizabeth Frazer. Of course, those comparisons are only to give you a foot in the door to her amazing sound. Just when you think you can peg her down, she throws a curve ball and you have to re-evaluate the music all over again. I haven't listened to an album in a long while where I really had no idea what to expect from song to song, or even within a song itself.

A good example is "Weregild" which starts out almost atonally with glitchy electronic skreeching, evolving into a steady motorik beat with gauzy vocals, which are then double and triple tracked, increasing the density and complexity of the song.



The almost operatic "Devon," further displays her gorgeous voice. When it almost gets to the point where she is entering Enya territory, she again switches gears and throws you off balance. In this case, darkening the song midway with harsher bass and percussion.



One of the striking things about the album, is her willingness to mesh the beautiful with the harsh. On short instrumental pieces like "Dragvandil," a brutal drum track is counteracted with her breathy vocals and wobbly synths.



Not to say that she always hits the right balance. On tracks like "Dream Fortress" she falls off the fence into almost new age pablum, and the songs become a soundtrack to some bad Japanese anime.



But the majority of the time, she tempers her desires to fall onto one side. The fascinating "My Sister Says The Saddest Things" is a great example where the sly, sing-songy vocals (a la Mum) are shaded by a shredded drum track and intense bass.



Halfaxa is an album you will either love or hate. Her voice and sound will either endlessly fascinate you or will have you pressing the skip button over and over again. And I was also intrigued by how she put together her tracks. According to her, she has no music training whatsoever and only noodles around on basic electronic equipment until she finds sounds she likes. The album is way too polished for it to be done from just happenstance, however, if that is the case, she is pretty much a genius.

Rating Guide

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top albums of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been trimmed or polished.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.