Dreamy folktronica and ambient crossover debut

Aniseed’s debut EP “Geranium” introduces us to the East Anglia based musician and producer with their penchant for tape-recorded guitar patterns, light synths and broken percussion that reminds me of very early Bibio and his work before as Manitoba.

“Crabshells” opens the EP with light and delicate synth twinkles and bells running alongside gentle layers of electric-acoustic guitar and percussion that’s had all its bass sucked out of it. It’s a lovely introduction and the kind of music you’d hear on the game Life is Strange or in an indie movie montage of sulking teenagers. I love how effortless the whole piece sounds and you could have it run on repeat for ages without noticing. “Game With the Tin Cat” plays with ambience at the noise spectrum with quiet dissonant synth wobbles hiding underneath field recordings of noise and metal. “My Mylar” returns to the rose-tinted glasses of folksy electronica. Melotron synths, vinyl spits, bluesy acoustic guitar and warm bass collide to create something very British 1965 with just the right amount of sweetness added to it. “Geranium Detector” closes out the EP with a selection of noises and spoken word recordings, illustrating that the EP and indeed Aniseed himself has two very separate styles on display here.

It’s with those two styles I feel slightly torn though. Aniseed’s more formed and melodic pieces that tip a hat to Bibio and OVA, for example, are absolutely superb. The darker ambient pieces didn’t quite click for me personally and the back and forth between them felt a little jarring. However, Aniseed clearly has talent and there’s plenty to enjoy here for fans of folktronica and rose-tinted yesteryear music with modern fresh feelings. The EP is out Friday 23rd of November.

Recommended track: Crabshells

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