Ape School- Ape School
8/10

Despite being the first album under the name Ape School, this is not technically the debut record for solo musician Michael Johnson, who in 2004 released Nonsense Goes Mudslide under his own name. He’s also been part of a number of well respected indie groups over the years, including Daedelus, The Lilys, Kurt Vile and Halopaw. All of Johnson’s experience comes through on this record; weaving a complex configuration of fuzzy pop and Californian surf into a futuristic sounding trickle, dripping from sub-pop’s leaky tap. Shoegaze, scuzz and psych-pop all mix on Ape School, to craft a beautifully cloudy melodic sound, resting in the dimly lit palm shadows of his native Florida. All the songs have a similar fuzzy groove, but all have their own subtle differences. ‘Floridian Grime’ has a rough sandpaper-like haziness, giving it a very unwashed, almost unmixed quality. ‘It’s Over’ and ‘In Time You Are’ employ the use of futuristic synth noises, shooting lazers and other sci-fi sounds into a wall of shoegaze guitar. ‘Did What I Did’ is a wonderfully crafted indie pop song, complete with a perfect sun-soaked melody bent from a chilled out guitar riff. All fourteen songs slide together, forming a very well rounded pop record. Johnson rarely misses a beat and when he does he does it with a sense of arrogance that shows off his years of experience.
Nick

 

Posted by Nick Fulton under Album, Reviews
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