Monday, April 2, 2012

Lace Bows - Pollen Futures (HIV 107)




Thanks to weedfarmer for the hash

This c30 from the latest batch of Hooker Vision tapes is captivating and abounds with wonders.  Lace Bows, the solo project of Joana Francisco, has releases on Digitalis Ltd., Cubic Pyramid and Bumtapes.  The depth of sound and feeling combined with the eclectic nature of the cassette makes Pollen Futures an enchanting experience.

The A side is comprised of alluring piano loops and field recordings.  One of the special elements of Pollen Futures is the quality of the recording; it is ensconced in a light, warm haze that makes for intimate listening.  The hazy confluence of piano and field recordings swells in the head and provides relief from the rigors of life.  A good reference point for this sound would be the elegant Eureka tape, recently released on Avant Archive.  Where the A side resides in warm ambiance, the flip is a completely different experience.  On this side, Lace Bows adeptly creates a shifting collage of sound, characterized by woozy and tropical vibes.  At one point, beautiful finger-picked guitar and voices unexpectedly permeate the recording.  It is one of my favorite sections of the cassette.

Pollen Futures is one of the myriad of highlights from the recent batch of Hooker Vision tapes. A great review for another touchstone of this batch - Nuojuva --Otavaiset Otsakkaha - can be enjoyed at Guide me little tape.  Pollen Futures is still available from Hooker Vision, Discriminate and others.  

Peace, my friends