Cassette Review: Conrad Wedde "Space World" (Field Hymns)

http://shop.fieldhymns.com/album/space-world

Throughout the time that I have listened to music on Field Hymns, I've always kind of had them pegged as this electronic sort of label that had similar sounding artists but now that I've listened to Conrad Wedde I'm no longer able to think that everything on Field Hymns will sound like Yves Malone.

This has very pretty notes to open and they cascade like a Christmas orchestra.   I particularly hear the "Welcome Christmas" song from the Grinch coming through at times.  The focus then shifts to that of something hollow, perhaps a diggerydoo, and then the piano type keys pick up into something that could either be Aloha or the theme to a hospital show.  (I always have to reference this as such instead of just saying "General Hospital" or "ER" because of the television shows I watch none of them take place in hospitals)

Through what I like to call indie beats (you'll know it when you hear it) we take a turn into "Knight Rider" sounds (a show I can reference by name directly!) and it comes out with something I like to call beachwave though that name has probably already been taken and applies to something else entirely.   It's synth and fun loops but also dreamy bliss with guitars mixed in for good measure.

The second side begins with acoustic plucks and then some uplifting beats.   It's melodic and though I am unable to place it precisely it is the soundtrack to something great.   Hints of Gotye with cymbal crashes come out with some slight vocals and I start thinking this might be dreamwave.    We end on a song though that combines FNL with "The Freshman" (Verve Pipe) and Phil Collins beats, so yeah, we're really just not in ground I can pinpoint.

While this isn't the type of music that makes you go, "No way!  That can't be on Field Hymns!", it's not exactly the same old same old from them either.   I used to think I had labels pegged as sounding certain ways and this has helped to destroy those ideas and I'm all the better as a fan of music for it.     "Space World" could easily be one of the most underrated albums of 2014, if not all time.