Albums by this artist

South (1999)

Interviews

Math, Melody And Minimalism
December 17, 1999

South

South

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» JONATHAN COHEN | SENIOR EDITOR

South South Jagjaguwar, 1999 RiYL: Ativin, Tortoise, Windsor For The Derby, Analogue, Gastr Del Sol

The self-titled debut by Charlottesville, Virginia's South is one of the more impressive initial offerings to arrive out of the instrumental rock sect in quite a while. The catch is that the record is far from instrumental, making maximum use of guitarist Patrick Phelan's opaque vocals as a main ingredient of a gentle, intriguing overall sound.

Although South is reminiscent of several of the more recognizable instrumental groups, the band uses the genre's feel merely as launching point instead of overarching style guide. They share with groups like Ativin and Windsor For The Derby a love of keyboard-enhanced atmospheres and intertwining guitar repetition, but their use of dulcimer and vibes recalls both fellow Virginians Labradford and Tortoise. Phelan's vocals, although low in the mix, lend the songs the kind of personal feel often lacking in instrumental music.

This record has a very satisfying range of moods and textures, from the extremely minimalistic and ambient "Close Value" to the urgent and emotional "Smoke" and "Walk," two numbers bound for repeat play. "Smoke" blends looped and live guitars around a melodic bassline, building toward a louder passage with vocals that hints at the understated singing of Seam's Sooyoung Park. The magnificent, Steve Reich-ish "Walk" meanders through low-key time changes, arriving at a lovely, piano-driven midsection and working through a number of other cleverly composed sections.

South is thinking music of the highest order, ideal for unearthing a memory or two from the mental back catalog.

JONATHAN COHEN | Jonathan Cohen co-created Nude As The News with his Indiana University mates Troy Carpenter and Ben French. When not traversing the globe for business and pleasure, he holds down the fort as a senior editor for Billboard in New York. Stop him and he just may ask, "what for lunch?"