STACK #148 Feb 2017

MUSIC REVIEWS

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Deadmau5 W:/2016ALBUM/ We get the feeling Deadmau5 has been playing a tonne of video games lately, because this release could very well be his pitch as a soundtrack to pretty much any Zelda game, or even the Metroid series. Truly, from 2448 giving the impression that at any moment someone’s gonna pop up and tell you “It’s dangerous to go alone – take this!”, to Let Go , which feels a lot like that menacing bass beat you get on approach to a boss battle, no tracks on this would feel out of place on a soulful video game. Maybe this is his offer for the next Bandai Namco title? Worth a shot. (Kobalt) Alesha Kolbe

Starset Vessels

Opening with the deep rumble of a Tripod’s groan and a shiver of high- pitched strings, Starset’s debut quickly moves into double-kick- heavy pop-punk, with frontman and vocalist Dustin Bates leading a journey into the outer edges of space-time. Orchestral details and electronic effects peep through the walls of heavy guitar very skilfully across the generous 15 tracks. That Bates is a highly accomplished academic, having excelled in the mystique behind these powerful (if very serious) tracks; look out for a Marvel comic series expanding on the five-piece’s adventurous 'backstory' this year. (Razor &Tie/CookingVinyl) Jasmine Jordan hard sciences and astronomy in particular, doesn’t hurt the

Ty Segall Ty Segall

Some things we know about Ty Segall: For the past few years the Californian musician has maintained an extraordinary rate of output. He's released albums under his own name and other names, produced various records, and performed with countless bands. His ever-growing catalogue

covers punk, boogie, glam rock, acoustic folk, garage and pop. There have been conceptual albums, biographical records, playful LPs and ambitious projects, all united by an inexhaustible work ethic and tireless imagination. But how is it possible that one person can be responsible for such a diversity of sound? Ty himself once speculated that Ty is a myth, or instead a collective of people wearing masks. This self-titled album, the musician's second of that name, is an invitation to delve deeper into the mystery. There are deeply personal moments such as the tender love ballad Orange Colour Queen (dedicated to Segall's girlfriend) and there are flights of psych fantasy into uncharted musical terrain. Some things we may never know about Ty Segall. Long may it remain that way. (Spunk) SimonWinkler COMING UP

There're plenty of quality releases hovering just over the horizon; here are a few that we're particularly looking forward to, out in early March.

The Shins Heartworms The evolution of The Shins continues with project honcho James

femina", meaning "A woman is an ever fickle and changeable thing" – to just "Semper Femina", meaning "Always a woman". The album explores female relationships and the meaning of femininity, and it's due out March 10 via Inertia .

four-part harmonies accompanied by guitar, ukelele, mandolin and accordian is their game

– and they're really, really good at it. This acclaimed, indie-folk, all-female Sydney quartet are releasing their debut on March 3 via ABC Music/Universal .

Mercer funnelling some very Animal Collective vibes into

Ed Sheeran ÷ (divide) Despite what we predict to be an irritating few weeks of constantly opening the glyphs tab to find this titular symbol (the respite after Bon

upcoming release Heartworms ; look out for our interview with the singer-songwriter, in which we chew into the subjects of sexism, weird instrumentation and the joy of music clips. Heartworms is due out March 10 via Sony . Laura Marling Semper Femina This is Laura Marling's sixth album (her first, 2008's Alas, I Cannot Swim was released when she was just 16 years old) and is named for

Methyl Ethel Everything Is Forgotten Following up their

Iver's release was not long enough), we're pumped for Ed's new full-length. Following the ridiculous success of its first two singles (released simultaneously last month), we can confidently predict that ÷ (divide) is going to be one of the biggest albums of 2017. It's due out March 3 viaWarner . All Our Exes Live In Texas When We Fall All Our Exes Live In Texas is their name;

fascinating debut Oh Inhuman Spectacle , Perth three-piece Methyl Ethel are gifting us more nocturnal pop delight with Everything Is Forgotten – and with it, they're pushing the boat out further than ever before. Produced by the highly respected Jamed Ford (Arctic Monkeys, Foals), it's out March 3 via Dot Dash/Remote Control .

a tattoo the musician had inked on her leg almost 10 years ago; she abbreviated a line from Virgil's poem The Aeneid – "Varium et mutabile semper

FEBRUARY 2017

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