Jen Paul / No Lakes - † (Haute Magie, 2012)

Jen Paul / No Lakes - †
Haute Magie 2012

Jen Paul is a musician based in Philadelphia and this tape consists of selected songs from previous albums. Jen Paul / No Lakes is the name of the project, in other words, this is not a split, as far as I can tell.

“Towns” features layers of reverbed, down tempo, electric guitar melodies. But the song is confusingly short, because it sounds like it is building up to something more. “Muerte O Casamiento Durmiente” begins with a lo-fi, hissing, acoustic guitar instrumental in a similar down tempo, melancholic style. An electric guitar enters, playing quietly and gently plucking one note at a time. “Won’t Always Be Blue” is like in slow motion as the echo-y guitar chords are plucked. The chord progression sounds like a 50’s rock and roll slow dance song. The whole tape thus far has a very languid, sleepy, half-awake type feel. In songs like “Christmas 82” there’s a fine line between melody and drone mainly because of the distinct pace of the music. “Brunette” sounds like it has field recordings of cars honking and maybe trains mixed in among the guitar instrumentals. “Swollen Bloques” includes echo-y, drone-y, wordless, vocal chants, presumably from Jen, among ambient, dream-like guitar chords being strummed. “Julian’s Bridge” incorporates found sound spoken word, albeit indecipherable, mixed with distorted, long form, electric guitar chords. At the end of the song it sounds as if a keyboard is being played in a free form and frenzied way. “Wheel and A Chime” sounds like a harp is playing in the beginning but I guess it could be anything. The recording is uncharacteristically lo-fi, also featuring more chanting vocals and a found sound of someone speaking. The “harp’s” melody sounds like a lullaby it’s so sweet.

cassette for purchase/full stream: http://hautemagie.com/relics/008/