JUNIP – FIELDS
Earlier this year Junip appeared on the scene with Rope & Summit – the 4-track taster of this new 3-piece headed by Swedish nylon-string folk-master Jose Gonzalez. It was a sleepy, trippy folk-tronic gem, drawing on much of what makes Gonzalez’ solo material so captivating, yet expanding his influence with the psychedelic thrum of synth player Tobias Winterkorn and drummer Elias Araya. Junip now deliver a full-length LP, a meandering, moody math-rock trip that has the same flavour as the EP, but we get to hear a few more doors opened – the repetitive trance aura is augmented by the bluesy, esoteric melodies of Gonzalez and his hypnotic finger work, particularly in Without You and Faded The Grain. Sometimes electric guitars duel with the milky synth tones to create something that approaches rock n’ roll (Sweet & Bitter) and Off Point takes things one step closer to catchy pop. But it’s in one of the surviving tracks from the EP, the re-recorded Rope & Summit, where this group’s frosty-eyed subliminal grooves get right under your skin, lulling you into a meditative nod, like a cross-country train trip. Thrilling, hypnotic stuff.
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