Under The Current
Schwarz Neon Licht, 2018
8/10
A Haifa, Israel outfit who certainly retain their middle-eastern heritage here, Chfifeau also bring dream-pop, lo-fi, shoegaze and bits of electronica to their inimitable formula.
Though the album starts off hazy with calm percussion and Eastern guitar sounds amid the calm setting, it isn’t long before more folk based sounds enter, and by the halfway point the album resides in rhythmic territory where lo-fi indie-rock ideas are present.
The back half of the listen is equally unpredictable, and includes more vocally expressive moments with woodwind instruments, and even a more dense and dreamy atmosphere where keys add much to the ambience. The record ends on a creative high, with chunky bass lines alongside hypnotic singing in a darker textured exit.
Even though I don’t understand a word being sung here and can’t read the song titles, this is some fascinating and enthralling world music that reels in influences from across the globe with exciting results.
Travels well with: Cattivo- Cattivo; Morphlexis- Borrowed Songs