One Track Mind

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

[ download ]

London, England’s Tunng have always brought an undeniable eclecticism to the table, and with their new record, the band appears intent on outdoing themselves yet again. The group traces its lineage back to Mike Lindsay and Sam Genders’ work together composing music for softcore pornography; member Becky Jacobs is the little sister of the frenetic Max Tundra; their music has appeared on television shows ranging from The O.C. to Weeds; and their blend of electronic flourishes and folk melodies has seen the band labeled as one of the forerunners of the so-called folktronica subgenre.

So what do they do for an encore? While working on full-length number four, the band undertook a ten day “voyage of discovery” with Malian poet guitar group Tinariwen, a three-decades old Tuareg band. Then, for three of the album’s tracks, they enlisted the assistance of what Tunng has labeled The Mega Chorus: a fifteen strong member troupe of pals with whom they recorded vocals in a deserted school building. The end result-is …And Then We Saw Land, Tunng’s first album in nearly three years, which will be released on April 6th by Thrill Jockey.

In the end, of course, the backstory is largely irrelevant as what really counts is the music. Thankfully, Tunng have raised the stakes here, too, successfully expanding their reach with an enterprising set of compositions. “Don’t Look Down or Back,” the record’s third song, is a journey in miniature, imbued with the sense of seafaring adventure the album’s title implies. After beginning with some flickering electronics, the track nimbly incorporates acoustic guitar and a low-key of complement of horns. This instrumental gossamer swaddles the cool male/female vocal harmonies during the verses, while the choruses arrive with an anticipated and smartly played ratcheting of intensity. When the chorus does hit, it feels like a cathartic exhalation, punctuated by an off-kilter yet easily flowing rhythm. The tension between the verses and choruses is exquisite, with Tunng rendering “Don’t Look Down or Back” in a state of impeccable harmony.