METAVARI – Be One of Us and Hear No Noise

Hey now, here’s some shit: Indie-neo-folk-instru-tronica. How’s that for a music hack tag, huh? Hee hee! These guys have small snippets of some elements of other instrumental collectives that all gel together for a sound that can be called “their own.” So, yeah, you can be a self-absorbed douche and pick it apart and dissect it and find the lingering glimpses of Maserati elements (just not as “rock”) or the couple of Explosions In The Sky moments (just not as heavy-lidded and sleepy) or the random Six Parts Seven parts (just a hint more electronics). Metavari have a more laptop beat origin than those other dudes, and water-swirl that around an acoustic, organic base. They get even almost trippy and slow-jammy on tracks like “Shimmer Marina.” The track “Cerulean” is less atmospheric and more pop tune and it works well. There is an aqueous element to this whole CD. Toss in some movie sound bite samples and all’s good. Ethereal and relaxing.

(Crossroads of America Records, 4030 W 3rd St., Bloomington, IN 47404)