Saturnia - Vinyle Transparent

Description

In the span of five albums with GUM, not to mention the nine made as a co-leader of the psychedelic cosmonauts Pond, multi-instrumentalist and producer Jay Watson (also a touring member of Tame Impala) has offered some of the most imaginative sonic explorations of the last decade. On Saturnia, however, these visions have merged to deliver his richest, yet most coherent work to date. One of the most enjoyable aspects of listening to a new GUM album is Jay Watson's ability to create enticing musical "what-ifs." Wouldn't it be great if Stevie Wonder had recorded a hair metal track, or if Barry White had composed a Pink Floyd album? When you have the ability to blend any combination of sounds and atmospheres that come to mind, it’s tempting to pack everything you can into every second of tape, but this time, the lesson for Jay was to realize that sometimes you have to eliminate a good idea for the sake of the song. Here, the glue that ensures the project's unity is a foundation of organic sounds. Opening with "Race to the Air" provides the perfect curtain-raiser. Rising like a gigantic interplanetary vessel, it offers a sparkling view of cosmic disco made of robotic grooves and shimmering strings, while "Would It Pain You to See?", perhaps one of the most surprising songs on the album, is an elegant and sparkling surge of sensual R&B. Indeed, one of the most rewarding things about Saturnia is how the songs pivot and change unexpectedly throughout, starting as one thing before launching into a completely different stratosphere.