Another dolloping of greatness from the ever-reliable folks at Fence Records. It may have taken seven years, but the Kent-based Collective members AMINO PEOPLE finally deliver their eagerly anticipated debut “... Work It Out”.
The early promise of the band's debut single 'Piano Loop', coupled with their stunning contribution to the Picket Fence series of mini-albums, “All Food Groups Represented”, have seen the Amino People cause ripples in the past. Prepare for a bigger splash this time round.
Given a mission by Fence head-honcho King Creosote “...to concoct a potion or device that would make people dance,...but also want to sing”, the five-piece Amino People have obviously taken the mission literally.
Mixing acoustic-indieness with psyched-out electronic experimentation, the Amino sound is, at times, reminiscent of the New York experimentalists Animal Collective 'Sung Tongs' period.
Opener 'The Wurlyburd' (the b-side to Piano Loop)is an insistent organ-led classic with sweet as sugar vocals from frontman Matt Amino, while 'Humdinger' (released on last year's Fencezine sampler 'Fence At Pittenweem') is a sample-clad cracker that'll haver you up dancing within the first few bars.
To compliment the accomplished sounds, there's beautiful, subtle lines such as: “You speak in tongues, when you should be speaking your mind” ('Lonely & You Feel'), and “Oh, don't cry, 'cause when the music plays you'll feel a little bolder/Your blue skies will reappear, remember yesterday was colder” (When The Music Plays).
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The songs drift effortlessly between the alt. country musings of 'Midnight Bomb' and 'Is It Something I'm Doing Wrong', to weird electronica (' More Garage, More Underground', 'Lactose Intolerant' and 'It Doesn't Matter), to bona-fide electro/guitar classics ('Humdinger', 'Level Groove and 'Lonely & You Feel'), that even the mighty Stone Roses would have been proud to call their own.
The best, though, is saved for last. The aptly named 'The Vision' is just that. A rambling, laid back, nine-minute Beta-esque excursion into space-jam territory, the track descends into an electronica dirge, complete with swanny whistles and a subdued vocal refrain of “Tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree.” Yes, really.
And for the ubiquitious 'erb lovers amongst you, there's a nine minute respite before the surprise bonus track arrives out of nowhere. Sounding like the Beta Band fronted by Andy Partridge, the unlisted track completes, what is, essentially, an album packed full of home recordings. A classic in the making.
www.aminopeople.com
www.fencerecords.com
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