Eric CopelandHermaphrodite
(08.2007, Paw Tracks)
8.5/10
Eric Copeland makes weird music. This has probably already been evidenced with his membership in NY experimental bands Black Dice and Terrestrial Tones; so, yeah, unarguably weird. On his horrifically packaged solo debut, Hermaphrodite, Copeland employs familiar freak-fest electronic soundscapes that fit snuggly between the works of his other bands. The "music" tends to disorient, confuse, excite, baffle, belittle, question, confuse again and then oddly satisfy (albeit confusingly). Hermaphrodite stays true to its title and cover art: never betraying a particular gender and most commonly achieving a whole new alien sexuality in its meanderings. Outer-space synthesizers, deep jungle percussion, manipulated vocal chants; these, among various other unidentifiable components, structure the looping madness. It all reminds me of the kind of music you might find at a rave in Mos Eisley (of Star Wars, duh). Copeland manages to avoid the potential pitfalls of the boredom/insanity that his experiments could potentially inhabit by packaging them in happy pop-sized scoops. Hermaphrodite is a terrific debut and deserves attention for its individual merits and not just for its musical relatives.
-Mr. Thistle
Eric Copeland - "Hermaphrodite"
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