Toro y Moi- Underneath the Pine (Carpark- 2011)
~by Gabe McBride
75________________
Chaz Bundick, the mind behind Toro y Moi, was initially lumped in with other chillwave luminaries. However, on last year’s Causers of This, Bundick appeared to be more informed by hip-hop and R&B, while other bands who were being crammed together in the “movement” were more influenced by new wave (Washed Out), indie (Small Black), and well, drugs (Neon Indian). Where Causers fell in line with the other bands, was in its nostalgic, smoothed out, lethargic vibe and use of in-studio manipulation of sound to create an other-worldy, or, maybe better put, other-timely sheen over the top of the vaguely danceable beats and blips.
On Under the Pines, Bundick still metes out an R&B sound, but with a decidedly 70’s feel, and a lot less masking and filtering than his previous efforts. The tunes bounce back and forth between the Nixon/Ford/Carter and Reagan eras, at times referencing Sly as well as Hall and Oates at others. The bass is the driving force throughout the record, most obviously on first single, ‘Still Sound’ a jazzy, Central American influenced dance jam. Probably the weakest part of Toro y Moi, is Bundick’s voice, which is frequently too soft and not particularly dynamic, but thankfully, he plays to his strengths, and allows the songs to frequently bend a curve around extended instrumental codas, which soothe and invigorate simultaneously.
For Fans of: Memory Tapes, Chromeo
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