Colorlist is made up of two chaps with undoubted musical chops by the name of Charles. They produce jazz with a subtle blend of electronics and post-rock flourishes, which fits perfectly into that Chicago continuum that started emanating from the windy city in mid-90s. There’s definite parallels to the sound and approach of the Chicago Underground Duo / Quartet, Isotope 217, Tortoise and the Hefty label – indeed, some of the main players in these outfits help out on this limited 10″ released by the UK based Serein label.
For this reviewer, music is so dependent on mood. Am I in a receptive mood to take in a certain style? Oftentimes, it can be impossible to answer such a question until I find myself wading into a release, only to realise that no, I’ll need to listen to it at a later, more appreciative juncture. That’s not to say that critical facilities and that undefinable “taste” factor are not at play I’m a music critic fergodsake! Nevertheless, sometimes it helps to put a release on the backburner and come back to it at a more appropriate time. At times, I found The Fastest Way to Become the Ocean resonating completely with my sensibilities. I was breathing in the nuances and textures, swooning with the subdued emotionality inherent in Colorlist’s inscrutable musicality – at other times, I found the same qualities that appealed to me previously coming across as too fussy and restrained. On balance, for this release, I’d punt for the former.
Opener “Light Conditions” sets the scene; a painterly approach to sound (quite appropriate given their choice of moniker), salty upwellings of sound and delicate textures – subtly brushed drums and lowercase saxophone melodies. “Nine Lives” has a repetitive, constantly morphing motif that is reminiscent of Terry Riley’s In C or Steve Reich. Tortoise’s Jeff Parker adds tasteful guitar runs that slowly assist in building the intensity of the piece into a subdued form of sunburst. “Coming Into Sight” has a similar trajectory, swelling and slowly morphing over a ten-minute period. Taken together these two pieces have echoes of the Doug Scharin led outfit HIM, during their hyper-productive late 90s pinnacle, a period that produced one of my favourite albums of all time, Sworn Eyes. “What We Have Left” rounds out The Fastest Way to Become the Ocean, with fluffy female vocals and a sing-song rhythmic interplay between brass and drums. The Fastest Way to Become the Ocean is the first part of Serien’s Seasons 2011 10″ release schedule, with future missives from Donato Wharton, Hauschika and Nest to follow. Colorlist’s blending of jazz and contemporary musical angles might not set the world alight anytime soon, but it’s a cerebral approach that is refreshingly rewarding in the right setting.
Oliver Laing
