Centipedes - Save YourCool Soul

Fri 22nd Apr, 2005 in Music Reviews

If you are looking for music to lose yourself to on a Sunday afternoon, then you should check out Centipedes’ debut album. It’s the kind of album which not only fills your ears, but lets your imagination wander. Thoughts that sprang to mind are coloured flowers, spinning in circles, children’s laughter with the volume turned down, slow motion and haziness. Are you getting my drift…?

Save Your Cool Soul is the title of the release, and is a beautiful blend of electronica, pop and post rock from this duo out of Sydney. Rather than make an album of individual songs, Centipede seem to have created a soundscape to accompany an urban lifestyle. The title suggests that relaxation is good for the soul, and the liner notes give poetic and abstract thoughts which nicely sit alongside the tunes.

As a soundscape, the songs do not fight each other for your attention. Instead, an appreciation of the whole sixty minutes of music can be formed. Save Your Cool Soul is well crafted and intricate, and unlike some electronica, the multi-layering is given plenty of room to breath. Sounds gently bump into each other, often making way for completely different ones to penetrate through and change the direction. There is no harsh glitchy-ness and the result is music that falls somewhere between sweet, indi pop and melodic, groove-based electronica. The tempo remains fairly consistent throughout, but it varies in all the right places, allowing you to fall into the circulating rhythms. Pauses highlight the small sounds such as the xylophone tinkering.

However whilst spaced out, Save Your Cool Soul is not sparse or lacking in depth or originality. Sampling and experimentation is weaved into the flow of the tracks, but is often hidden behind the vocals, making the Centipede sound more inviting and accessible. Tanith Sherman’s voice rises and falls around every syllable, making for clear articulation and catchy lyrics. Her fast changing increments in pitch are reminiscent of other female artists like Bjork and Lamb’s Lou Robinson, however this approach may not be everyone’s cup of tea.

Save Your Cool Soul was written and recorded by the band over an 18 month period, after having released two EPs, appearing in a film soundtrack and re-mixing a song for The Church. In the final stages, producer Tim Whitten (Powderfinger, Art of Fighting, 78 Saab etc.) came on board to mix the album. The production is excellent, allowing for a crisp sound without any cheesy, sparkling overtones. Two tracks from the album, Safekeeper and See Ya Round Sometime have already received airplay and support from both national and community radio since the start of the year when the album was released.

Some people would say that Save Your Cool Soul is too similar or minimalist, and that it fades into the background. This may be true, but I don’t think it is intended to be an album that jumps out and smacks you in the face. It is subtle and comforting and great for moments in your life when you can just slow down and drift away. By any means, Centipede have produced an excellent debut album.