Pausal - Lapses

Pausal
Lapses
(2010, Barge)
RIYL = Sawako, Stars of the Lid, Chihei Hatakeyama

The meticulous releases of the indomitable Barge Records are always welcome here at Forest Gospel. Based on the label’s track record and inclination towards quality rather than quantity, no matter what it is they’re putting out, you know it’s going to be good. As you can tell from the dearth of new reviews on FG, I’ve been kind of struggling to get excited about anything new. Lots of people have sent me above average albums that I’m sure I will get around to sooner or later, but nothing that simply demands that I up a shout from the rooftops, “listen to this, fair gents!” It’s got me doubting myself, doubting 2010, doubting music as a whole. It’s been a pretty silly couple of weeks. Anyways, that type of attitude isn’t really the best way to approach something like Pausal’s Lapses, but fortunately, after submerging myself in the album, headphones cranked up all the way, I was swimming listlessly through its various caverns; lovingly, Lapses approached me. I guess introductions are in order: Pausal is Simon Bainton and Alex Smalley from the UK. The duo layers guitars atop guitars, atop pianos, violins and classical vinyl samples, and then boil it all down to a serendipitously dreamy soup; granted, the kind you pour into your ears. Lapses, the duo’s debut, is rich and creamy, full of morphing ambient textures, muffled high end resonance and neatly placed field recordings. Everything is pretty minimalistic, and though the twelve tracks span from one to fifteen minutes, it’s all flows interconnectedly. Pausal's work here is definitely top tier in terms of ambient restraint and being the catalyst to some plush dream/sleepiness. Lapses is the art of the unwind.

-Thistle

Pausal also mixed a terrific Typecast for Type Records. The mix contains The Fun Years, Quantec, Stephan Mathieu and more. Download it here.