Thus Owls
Black Matter (Secret City)
The past two years have certainly been productive for Swedish-Canadian duo Thus Owls. Since relocating to Montreal, husband and wife Simon and Erika Angell have produced a pair of albums in as many years, beginning with 2014’s Turning Rocks, which made the Polaris Music Prize long list. Their latest effort, Black Matter, is a 30-minute, six-song EP full of sparse orchestral arrangements (with strings courtesy of Icelandic composer Daníel Bjarnason) that are equal parts whimsy and dread.
Erika’s Joanna Newsom-esque vocals lilt gently over the strings and synths, with the band favouring experimentation over the more radio-friendly compositions that appeared on their last album.
The best example of this comes on the album’s title track, which is built on a fuzzed out snare and high-hat, layered with creepy synths, samples, and vocal oddities. The result is weird, unsettling, and utterly compelling. This is experimental pop in the spirit of FKA Twigs or even the Dirty Projectors, though not nearly as ground-breaking.
“Vector” is a three-minute instrumental interlude that would not have been out of place on Phoenix’s Bankrupt, while album closer “We Leave We Forget” taps into a ‘90s chillwave vibe, punctuated by Tom Verlaine-inspired minimalist guitar flourishes.
Despite just being six songs in length, Black Matter marks a small step in an interesting direction for a band not content with sitting still.
Rating out of 5: ★★★
