Walking a line between affecting ethereal beauty and a strange, eerie atmosphere, ‘Different Planets’ has a fittingly otherworldly feel. This solo outing from Kelcey Ayer, of Local Natives and Jaws of Love fame, fuses lush folk, electronic flourishes and hypnotic harmonies in such a unique and curious way. Penned for his newborn son on a baby blue ukulele gifted to him, the track finds a gorgeous dreamlike quality existing alongside something alien and uncanny – the latter aided by the surreal self-directed video which sees Ayer pursued and tormented by a figure in a wolf mask. The journey from a few notes on a child’s ukulele, to a track this deep and haunting, is a truly impressive feat of imagination and creativity. What’s more, somewhere wrapped up in all this, intentionally or subconsciously, lies a fitting metaphor for fatherhood. The euphoric sense of wonder that comes with welcoming new life into the world, and the unsettling realisation of all the responsibility that this new reality brings.
jaws of love
Album Review: Jaws of Love. – Tasha Sits Close to the Piano
Top Tracks: Jaws of Love. – Love Me Like I’m Gone.
Side projects are a rare and curious delight. They often portray artists in a new light, showing their versatility as songwriters and giving a fresh glimpse into the person behind the music. Jaws of Love, the new project from Kelcey Ayer of Local Natives fame, has already produced some of the most heartwarming music I’ve heard this year. The exemplary folk of ‘Love Me Like I’m Gone’, with its gentle guitar, subtle cascading piano and Kelcey’s exquisite vocals, is perfect for fans of Ben Howard and early Bon Iver. Taken from the upcoming album Tasha Sits Close to the Piano, out 22nd September, it’s a superbly elegant and refined track, the kind that speaks to something within the quiet recesses of your soul. There’s no end of new folk music out there, so to say that this is one of the finest folk songs of the year should leave you in no doubt that Kelcey is on to something special.
Jaws of Love. – Tasha Sits Close to the Piano