TYLER HOLMES
“Devil” C32
(Ratskin Records)



Welcome to the funhouse, don’t touch the soot-coated mirrors. Neveryoumind, they're on your insides, anyway. Listen to the muse, also within, whilst chasing your own counterpoint tail in circular figure-eights. Cello in, synthesized breath, heavy, on out. Obey the siren call, their voice a loosely layering croon* growing more and more distant the deeper through catacombs we venture. Neon and glitter, grime and distortion, twinkle and trickle, metallic gleams and gelatinous sheens, all vaguely visible in just-short-of-pitch-black.

Tyler Holmes’ “Devil" is a welcome poison, disorientingly complex in its hook-game. While rarely repeating an entire phrase, the first pass will keep the listener on the edge of their seat, while, by the second time around, they’ll know AND FEEL the heaviness of TH’s consciousness and intentions. Through prosey lyrics rife with subtext and sky-wide open for interpretation, the first three songs are nearly exhausting in their playfulness and versatility. Side B, a 17 minute re-self-excavation of their prior releases’ more grimly grimey themes**, on the other hand, will scrape that intoxicated look right the fuck off one’s face, for sure. Listen to each of these sides thrice in a row, with great headphones, and you'll be hooked!

and/or

—Jacob An Kittenplan

*not exactly like Antony, TVotR, or Dave Doughman, but a gorgeously haunting mix of all three’s best qualities…
**I mean, this IS a RATSKIN release, right?