Trondheim trio I Like To Sleep have found a fantastic sound, combining a questing, bass-heavy rhythm section of real earthmoving power with the shimmering dream of a vibraphone. It is an extraordinary discovery that brings to mind some of Tortoise‘s experiments, but with much more muscle and even more experimentation. Over the course of six tracks, they run this set up through its paces, substituting speed for torpor or squalls of distortion for the lead-pipe bass subtlety.
The six string bass on lengthy opener “Beyond Bedmonsters And No Sleep” has that kind of purity of tone but heaviness that sounds like floating lead. It moves slowly, roving and searching, with the drums entirely simpatico; but with something elusive hovering in the backdrop like winged glass. When they finally break through, the vibes are wonderfully at odds, their swaying vibrato making a hazy, playful dream of a sound.
It goes against the insistent intensity of the rhythm section, as firm as bedrock and as the track progresses, so the intensity increases, the low end flooded with sound. The steady march of the bass as the tempo changes almost overwhelms the vibes as a motorik groove begins to flicker. All the while, the vibes are chuckling over the top as the track recedes into your dreams. It is this dichotomy between the vibes and rhythm section that I Like To Sleep chooses to mine over the the next forty minutes. The vibes are more severe on the slower “Playing With Fire”, but the bass is still pulling teeth while the drums take charge on “Circles”, relegating the baritone to the backdrop and allowing the vibes to pursue the rhythms through rampant cymbals and an unexpected wash of abstraction. There is a guitar maelstrom freakout on “Braintrain” which upsets the vibes and sends them scuttling around. It is a real six-string bust up, staggering and stuttering, effects loose like bare wires. The sparse sound of “Pause II” is reminiscent of Chicago and the fence-post chewing of “Daymare” takes another turn for freedom, adding a little abstraction to the mix.They sound nothing like other bass and guitar groups I could think of — Godheadsilo and Death From Above to name a couple — and I know that baritone guitar has its place in this group, but their combination of instruments and the purity of the production stands it out like a sore bass player’s thumb. Daymare has groove, atmosphere, friction and joy in equal measure and I for one will be keeping an eye out for more from I Like To Sleep.
-Mr Olivetti-
