What a great little EP Lights is, having been described in the press of possessing the spirit of Charlie Parker, a strange comparison when you’ve heard the music, but there are reference points there.
Warped electronic infused jazz sketches, would be an apt way to describe the music contained. Very DIY in construction, it has a lo-fi feel, but a crisp production, each electronic tone polished to shine on its own, but gel with those around it. Melbourne’s Richmond LaMarr rambles over the top of the electric jazz soundtrack, using his voice for effect, rather than to convey a message, interspersed with snippets of spoken word and vocal hooks from the records sampled. This reminds me of the sheer sampleology of bands like The Avalanches, when I first saw them live I was astounded by the palette of sound, the influences they draw from, and LaMarr achieves a similar thing, albeit fed through an electronic shredder.
Fun, creative and quirky, my main question remains, why haven’ I heard of Richmond LaMarr before this? Listen at http://richmondlamarr.vox.com/.
Wayne Stronell
