The first time you chance upon a Conquering Animal Sound live affair,
you might well be forgiven for tip-toeing back outside again. As the
Edinburgh sired duo’s just released debut album, ‘Kammerspiel’ should
indicate at its Edinburgh launch, the CAS sound is a willfully private
affair involving Anneke Kampman’s uniquely hushed vocals looped into
some ethereal multi-tracked chorale and tickled into melodious shape by
Jamie Scott’s array of toy instruments, cheap keyboards and understated
electronics. Together, they wash over each other with a warm,
small-time sensuality designed for those wordless moments you can’t
help but snuggle into, but which threaten to fall apart any second
Taking their name from the glories of 1980s Jamaican Dub sound system
Conquering Lion Sound, the more inclusive CAS have come a long way
since being thrown together on a university popular music course and
forced to play a version of Stevie Wonder’s 1973 pop-funk smash,
‘Superstition.’ Their sound, however, is as far away from funk and
reggae as is possible. The real clue to what CAS, though, comes from
the album title.
“Kammerspiel was a German silent film movement from the 1920s,” Kampmam
explains, “but the word translates as ‘intimate play.’ For me, the most
exciting thing about working with Jamie is that we can share musical
intimacy. Our music is very…close, and that word encapsulates how we do
that.”
Conquering Animal Sound, Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh, February 12th.
‘Kammerspiel’ is out on Gizeh Records and mini50 Records.
The List, January 2011
ends
you might well be forgiven for tip-toeing back outside again. As the
Edinburgh sired duo’s just released debut album, ‘Kammerspiel’ should
indicate at its Edinburgh launch, the CAS sound is a willfully private
affair involving Anneke Kampman’s uniquely hushed vocals looped into
some ethereal multi-tracked chorale and tickled into melodious shape by
Jamie Scott’s array of toy instruments, cheap keyboards and understated
electronics. Together, they wash over each other with a warm,
small-time sensuality designed for those wordless moments you can’t
help but snuggle into, but which threaten to fall apart any second
Taking their name from the glories of 1980s Jamaican Dub sound system
Conquering Lion Sound, the more inclusive CAS have come a long way
since being thrown together on a university popular music course and
forced to play a version of Stevie Wonder’s 1973 pop-funk smash,
‘Superstition.’ Their sound, however, is as far away from funk and
reggae as is possible. The real clue to what CAS, though, comes from
the album title.
“Kammerspiel was a German silent film movement from the 1920s,” Kampmam
explains, “but the word translates as ‘intimate play.’ For me, the most
exciting thing about working with Jamie is that we can share musical
intimacy. Our music is very…close, and that word encapsulates how we do
that.”
Conquering Animal Sound, Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh, February 12th.
‘Kammerspiel’ is out on Gizeh Records and mini50 Records.
The List, January 2011
ends
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