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Three years on from having their debut album
frequently mentioned in the same sentence as
compatriots Air, French instrumental trio
Telepopmusik return with a cinematic second, this time
with the aid of three vocalists.
Although technically classed as electronica, they
have a keen sense of orchestration that shows a
willingness to include strings, brass, piano and even
harp. Meanwhile the singers ensure that while the
album remains down tempo it contains plenty of
variety.
Angela McCluskey and Deborah Anderson
both fit the bill for late night slow burners,
although the former's way with Don't Look Back is over
mannered, despite the immediacy of the chorus. Both
suffer from over exposure to the vocoder, a trick that
works in making them sound dated, but means they are
at risk of losing the essence of what they are
singing. Indeed, as the brass and string forces gather
in Love's Almighty, McCluskey's voice becomes
submerged beneath the richness of the texture.
Third up for vocal duties is Mau, a
singer/rapper, whispering atmospherically on Last
Train To Wherever, or providing a lovelorn lyric to
Anyway, a promising song marred slightly (or enhanced,
depending on your opinion!) by the ambiguity of its
main line: "Well I try at least, anyway".
With these criticisms it's easy to overlook the
quality of Telepopmusik's arrangements, many of which
take a leaf out of Nellee Hooper's book. The
atmospheric Swamp, acting as a prelude to Nothing's
Burning, uses a mysterious harmonic language, as does
the orchestral opening of Love's Almighty. The use of
harp is particularly good, its nicely pointed lines
giving a new colour at the end of Into Everything.
When taken as a complete piece of work the album's
structure makes sense, although it's to Mau's
disadvantage that he gets the shorter tracks near the
end. McCluskey gets the centrepiece - Brighton Beach,
a potentially autobiographical song that finds her
pondering: "I don't put a smile on your face no more".
The closing 15 Minutes is in fact made up of fourteen
minutes of silence, being one of those annoying hidden
tracks that make you jump just when you thought the
record was finished.
Despite reservations, Angel Milk can be recommended
as a good after hours album, providing you're content
to let the music wash over you, and its subtle tour of
down tempo musical styles will keep you largely
satisfied, if perhaps a touch melancholic.
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