Felix Laband: Dark Days Exit

Compost, 2005

South Africa’s Felix Laband has been compared to The Notwist as well as a few Warp artists (Boards of Canada comes to mind). Whatever his influences, this dreamy downtempo music is perfect for summer listening. On the opening track, “Whistling in Tongues,” subdued flute and guitar prepare the way for bass and beats. “Miss Teardrop” sounds familiar, with a thick bassline and swirling synths. “Dirty Nightgown” is more brooding, its hip-hop touches reminding me of Boulderdash. “Red Handed” is another highlight, with bell-like sounds and a sampled child’s voice.

Laband’s melodic rock-tinged electronica is a breath of fresh air in a genre obsessed with micro-manipulation. His tunes would fit right in with early releases on Morr Music, but there’s more depth here—a funkiness that Morr’s artists often lack. Laband is a graphic designer and video artist as well as a musician. I hope he aspires to frequent releases, because this LP shows great potential.