[Note: This release is also available on the Bandcamp page for Tired of Triangles .]
Behold: a split 7” with Leila M. & Tired of Triangles laying down a Ballardian soundscape on one side, and Tired of Triangles ripping through a fuzzed-out rock song with post-punk and psychedelic leanings on the other. Tracked before and after Hurricane Irma hit Florida and the surrounding areas, “The Drowned World” b/w “Z.F.G.” carries with it some resilience, a sense of finding artfulness and purpose in uncertain times.
An homage to the J.G. Ballard book of the same name, the A side, “The Drowned World” by Leila M. & Tired of Triangles, evokes the mounting unease of its storyline. In Ballard’s second novel the year is 2145 and much of civilization has been phased out and submerged under water. The remaining land masses have become dominated by reptiles and increasingly oversized insects inhabiting jungles and lagoons where thriving cities once stood. For the few humans that do remain, it’s just a matter of time before the unbearable heat, rain, and humidity at the equator spread further and further outward, forcing them to migrate closer to the nearest pole. It’s here that we first find the protagonist Kerans residing alone in his flat near the top of the Ritz Hotel in what was once London, “on the beach” as it were. The book’s atmosphere of encroaching tropical unease is conveyed musically by the interplay of Leila’s pristine Middle Eastern tanbour riff — fed through a stereo delay throughout, tinged with flange toward the end — and Dave’s various distorted guitar parts, percussion flourishes, and eery-sounding string screeches. Things build toward a slow climax with “The Drowned World” likely being the most haunting piece of art either member of this duo has had a hand in.
Shifting into higher gear and a more dynamic sense of structure, the B side “Z.F.G.” kicks ass and takes numbers. Propelled by a simple drum machine beat comprised of a detuned AceTone clave, a TR-909 kick, and a synthetic closed high-hat of unknown origin, “Z.F.G” charges out of the gate with a descending velcro-y fuzz-guitar riff guaranteed to go over well on loud sound systems. In terms of theme the song deals with not caring about petty opinions directed at oneself. Lead vocals on the first verse are handled by Dave, before the song switches gears with a swampy Chrome-like interlude and then returns with a verse lead by guest vocalist Lindsey Charles of Chicago rock firebrands The Cell Phones. Then, just as we’re able to catch our breath, the song breaks into a thumping bass-driven passage, perhaps reminiscent of Delta 5? Abstract guitar-noise tremors soon envelope everything in earshot before “Z.F.G.” ends with an acoustic guitar and wah-wah part, as if to remind the listener that this sonic universe is ultimately a welcoming one.
Dave - Guitars, Vocals, Drum Machine, Bass, Noises
Lindsey Charles - Vocals on Second Verse
Leila Mesdaghi - Back-up Vocals
Both sides engineered and mixed by Dave, except acoustic guitar on “Z.F.G.” recorded by Michael Cohen at Signature Sound Recording Studio, and Lindsey’s vocals on “Z.F.G” recorded by Ryan Szeszycki at home in Chicago.
Digital version mastered by Chris Goosman at Baseline Audio Labs. Analog version mastered by Carl Saff at Carl Saff Mastering.
Leila M. & Tired of Triangles is a studio side-project between two multidisciplinary artists, Leila Mesdaghi and Dave J.
Andrae. The duo's sound falls somewhere between Middle Eastern music and contemporary underground rock. To date, their songs have been based around repetitive interlocking riffs, with sometimes-shifting overdubs, and sparse vocals....more
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