We’ve covered friend of the blog Leilani Patao a couple of times before (see here), so we were very excited to see they have released a new 6-track EP: ‘daisy’.
Taking its title from the name of Leilani’s much-missed childhood dog, ‘daisy’ is described by the artist as “a pure experiment” in both sound and in distribution (Leilani made the decision to remove themselves from the algorithm by withholding these songs from streaming).
‘branded’ – A stuttering intro to the EP, with a halting rhythm and a cacophony of chopped sounds and repeating snippets. I loved the full bottom end on this one. Leilani’s vocal is disguised by layers of FX. It’s a hard song to get into at first – a disorienting warning shot for the listener – don’t get comfortable!
‘get em boy’ – The experimentation continues with more disjointed atmospherics. A rolling sub bass gives the track body, and the beat adds a nice groove. A heavily distorted vocoder vocal sounds like a malfunctioning robot running wild in a recording studio, with a dissonant finish as its batteries run down.
‘BIRD WHISTLE’ – This is a song we’ve reviewed before (see here), and I absolutely love it! A much more traditional structure and approach – a simple lo-fi beat, an organ, a beautifully haunting melody – and we finally get to hear how good Leilani’s vocals really are. The experimentation is turned down compared to the previous tracks, but it’s still an exciting and unique sound.
‘Red Hair Dye’ – A raw, shuffling beat and a flanged guitar accompany another unforgettable vocal. There’s a real grit to this track, and I got a slight country vibe too. An accessible track (almost straight ahead indie-pop) that still feels multi-dimensional. There are plenty of surprising touches – like towards the end, when other sounds appear, and it sounds like 2 tracks are playing at once. A crazy idea that dissolves into just a vocal and a clean, strummed guitar to finish the song.
‘portrait’ – I loved the close vocal and the intimate sound. A slightly muffled, suffocating sound that feels hot & dusty, it suddenly changes to a much brighter, scratchy sound, and a more intense beat – like shades being lifted from the windows.
‘Cut’ – A heavily auto-tuned vocal dominates the track with a really pretty, catchy melody that feels like you’re being tickled to death. It’s a perfect closing track, with an upbeat groove and the same exhilaratingly expressive experimentation.
You’re not going to hear anything like ‘daisy’ anywhere else. With experimental electronic sounds, sublime indie-pop vocal melodies, and textures so visceral you can almost reach out and grab the songs with your hands. It’s endlessly creative and exciting, and each song is a new adventure. I suggest you strap yourself in and prepare yourself for a wild ride!
Written by Grubby
