MIDDAY VEIL "The Current" (Translinguistic Other)

Cowabunga. Weirdos unite through the transcendent power of "Midday Veil", a six piece psychedelic rock band who recorded this cassette, "the Current", in Seattle. I would definitely agree this cassette is very current sounding. Fans from the whole spectrum of exotic sound ranging from 80s synth horror movie soundtrack enthusiasts, Swedish hippie commune members with a love for Harvester (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZAxzdB94jw), Blue Velvet lounge ballad jazz cats, and anyone you could generally describe as a pretty cool dude/dudette can get behind this cassette and feel like they have just listened to something better than one hell of a flying carpet themed pinball game.

First, this cassette stands out because it is so full. A spectrum of tones, moods and genres melt together at hypnotic dance pulses. The Midday Veil has six members who can travel just about any speed and tackle any theme effortlessly and as a unit. With six songs, 3 on each side, this is just about perfect in your 1988 Honda Accord cassette deck while driving by the beach late at night on Halloween. The production value on the tape is stellar and on par with early seventies rock and roll studio whizzes. The doubled female vocals balance the horror synth with strong, sultry disco harmonies. GNARLY Fuzz Bass lines throughout.

The overall magic glue of The Midday Veil's cassette is that this is dance music at its core. It is demanded by the band's emphasis on percussion, drumming and modular synth. Even the ambient parts oscillate and are presenting in pulsating melodic sequence. Emily Pothast gets straight up Aretha Franklin ballad sounding and the baritone guitar even gets close to Black Sabbath territory, but these would sound best live in the center of a roller rink while everyone was busting a move.


This is really a full spectrum dance cassette. Keep your cassette player in the repeat position and play it at your next costume party.

High honors!

Also available on LP/CD/Download: http://middayveil.bandcamp.com/album/the-current

--Jack Turnbull