Cultivations
Felte, 2017
9/10
A duo based in both the UK and Australia, Au.Ra is Tom Jenkins and Tom Crandles, who are armed with a drum machine, synth, a pair of guitars and much imagination on this very well done sophomore album.
“Applause” starts the album with a firm beat as plenty of warm synth arrives in waves of melodic, dreamy pop sensibilities, and “I Feel You” follows with much atmosphere as a busy display meshes electro-pop, post-punk and New Wave ideas.
In the middle, “Nowhere” is a beautiful display of light and airy restraint with much attention to detail, while “Above The Triangle” buzzes loudly amid a psychedelic fueled venture into playful indie-rock dynamics. “Above The Triangle (II)” then recruits acoustic guitar as a shoegaze quality enters the surreal climate.
The album exits on 2 of the strongest selections, the hypnotic and lushly layered “Set The Scene”, and the aptly titled “Dreamwork” finishes the listen off with 7 minutes of meticulous and inviting song craft.
A record with a strategic amount of reverb, precise looping and an artistic presence. Cultivations often brings to mind legends like My Bloody Valentine or Slowdive, which I doubt anyone will have a problem with, and the impact of the listen is just as monumental.
Travels well with: Hermetic Delight- F.A. Cult; Cosse- Nothing Belongs To Anything