Uncle E – Deep In The Bushes (Antboy)

It’s hard to know exactly what Deep in the Bushes is. And that’s what makes it so great. It’s the electronic moniker of Tim Pledger, bandleader and saxophonist for Melbourne experimental outfit Bohjass and it borrows heavily from Bohjass’ high st 3070 album of last year. In particular the languid beauty of Deep in the Woods, a track itself that almost sounded electronic on that album, thanks to some sparse reverb soaked guitar, delicate brushwork and dreamy horn action. So perhaps this is a remix album, with Pledger grabbing some of his evocative horn work and reprocessing it with a vague nod to its former world. Yet if it’s a remix album it’s unlike any I’ve come across before as he transforms these tunes into strange new almost indescribable forms. There’ a definite ambient/ soundtrack quality to his new constructions and it is incredibly engaging and seductive, with any electronic aspects treated in a quite subtle manner, the focus is instead on the gorgeous drifting reverb soaked horns. Given the similar source material there is a thematic unity to the album, with motifs repeated and rearranged in different configurations, much like a soundtrack to a movie, though it’s Pledger’ refusal to be tied down, to form that provides the most interest. I don’ know what this is.