Sydney’s Bon Chat, Bon Rat appear with a well-formed vision and make a coherent statement of intent with this, their first EP since forming just over a year ago. Their sound is electronics and guitars with anglophile vocals. Which puts them squarely in the now, but without ever being able to be pinned as copyist trend-jumpers. Their strength is in the textures they conjure. ‘A Still Life’ lays simple guitar lines under analogue synth blurs before blurring into messy lo-fi washes of distorted bass and half-time drum machine action. Vocals very reminiscent of early Eno round the track out, the whole piece feeling like a journey that has truly transported you from one point to another.
These types of sounds are consistent across the 6 tracks. Atmospheres are explored fully, but melodies are also given space to shine, as in ‘Tribes’. There is a distinct krautrock feel to the guitars in this track especially, which also introduces (probably electronic) marimba/xylophone into the equation. Distinctly 21st century synth growls are added to late 90s IDM rhythmic intricacy to temper the retro sounds. The whole sounds not like pastiche, however, as the juxtapositions are never forced but are allowed to flow organically, often in phases. All the tracks are joined by passages of ambience which are not hurried but allowed to set their moods. The whole ends up being less a collection of songs as a single piece with a variety of intertwined and interdependent suites.
In spite of some interesting time signatures – 9/4s, or 4/4s with extra 2/4 bars tacked in – my one criticism of the EP would be it’s reliance on relatively slow half time rhythms which, combined with the aforementioned unity, can have the effect of removing distinctiveness from each of the tracks. The band get away with it on this length of release, but might need to branch out should they attempt a more longer form release. This is a relatively minor criticism, though. The band have chosen to stick to a shorter frame and it works effectively here. As with many newcomer releases of recent times, the EP can also be obtained in digital format for free via the band’s Myspace page, though the sympathetic artwork and packaging is well worth the small amount the band is asking for physical copies. Bon Chat, Bon Rat is a band worth keeping an ear on.
Adrian Elmer
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