Cock and Swan: Stash (Lost Tribe Sound)
“Sneak Close”
[audio:http://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Cock_and_Swan_Sneak_Close.mp3|titles=Cock and Swan: “Sneak Close”]With its fourth album, Stash, Washington duo Cock and Swan makes a sharp departure from the sound of its previous records. Whereas the band was once rooted in haunting, trip-hop-ish electronic music, Stash sees it in a new direction towards a more stripped-down, acoustic aesthetic.
Underneath its delicate surface, though, the duo is able to achieve its subtly sinister sound through Ola Hungerford’s lighter-than-air vocals juxtaposed with Johnny Goss’ slightly askew percussion. On tracks like “Tectonic Plates,” Hungerford’s vocals drown in the background amidst pounding drums, giving it an almost under-water feel that’s as soothing as it is slightly unnerving.
Though the band has made some serious transformations in its sound, it’s still likely to win over its fans with this rainy-day-ready record. Stash is delicate, beautiful, and deceptively dynamic.