Posted on: March 28, 2011 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

It seems almost as if a number of musicians and bands take a few tracks to introduce themselves and come to the creation of a hit, but Kiseleff’s first effort on “A Sound Seal” is downright jaw-dropping. This track, “Quicksilver Universe”, builds off of the work of bands like New Order and Depeche Mode even while possessing a tempo that would make acts like Tiesto and Daft Punk jealous. “Savannah” has a more meandering feel to it than “Quicksilver Universe”. This means that listeners that have the chance to listen to “A Sound Seal” will be able to hear the two distinct sides of Kiseleff; this is a move that allows the act to really flesh out these two poles over the remaining eight tracks.

“Chaos” is a track that blasts well past the six-minute mark, creating a challenging track which provides a tremendous benefit for anyone lucky enough to finish it. A number of acts simply do not possess the talent necessary to keep things interesting any bit after the four-minute mark, but Kiseleff provides fans with a scintillating tapestry of sound for the entirety of the track. “Tightrope” keeps this high level of momentum going with inspired drum sequencing and equally innovative methods of vocal delivery. Even with the track settling into the fun groove established during “A Sound Seal”, Kiseleff adds enough here to keep audiences listening.

“The City Sublime” is my favorite track on “A Sound Seal”. The chunky bass sound that threads its way through the entirety of the track further expands Kiseleff’s repertoire for the final two tracks on the album, even as the track hearkens back to the different stylings presented fans on the first four-fifths of the title. “Vera Cruz” speeds things up considerably, adding a healthy dollop of rock into the mix. While there is little that one can compare “Vera Cruz” to, the presence of this track on “A Sound Seal” should be concrete enough evidence to show listeners that subsequent Kiseleff recordings will maintain the same wonder present here. The disc finishes up with “New World”, a fun little track that twinkles throughout. Few bands do electronic well nowadays, but Kiseleff calls back threads and styles previously forgotten and gives listeners something vibrant and few. Pick this title up.

Top Tracks: Quicksilver Universe, Kites To The Moon

Rating: 8.1/10

Kiseleff – A Sound Seal (CD) / 2011 Self / 10 Tracks / http://www.reverbnation.com/kiseleff

Leave a Comment