Seekae - The Sound OfTrees Falling On People

Wed 20th Jan, 2010 in Music Reviews

The Sound of Trees Falling on People is the debut album of Sydney’s self-described “ghetto ambient” trio Seekae. The Sound of Trees… offers 18 solid tracks of variety, with glitchy and synth-lead electronica dominating most tracks but occasionally giving way beautiful, simple piano reprises apparent at various stages throughout the album’s 73 minutes.

Formerly known as Commander Keen, the trio have forged a unique sound that the Sydney- if not Australian- music scene previously lacked. With influences including Apparat, Scott Herren and ambient/electronic music pioneer Brian Eno, Seekae come across as a group of musicians who have absorbed and remodelled the different forms of electronic sounds being created around them.

The album opens with Yurai, which, while featuring some haunting and seamlessly integrated vocal samples, doesn’t introduce the overwhelming and overpowering synth sound that trademarks the rest of the album. The first example of this synth arrives half way through Stampede, which follows what is arguably Seekae’s best-known song, Void.

While remaining in their own brand of glitchy electronica, diversity is offered through tracks such as Wool, which opens with overlapping guitar and features Ghoul frontman Ivan Vizintin on vocals. Long Time Fish Pie serves as a reminder of the dominating synth before the epic John Duncan, which comes in at over nine minutes, sees the trio observe a more progressive sound that is often associated with post-rock groups such as Explosions in the Sky. Climaxing in a crowded rush of drums and heavy guitar feedback, John Duncan shows that Seekae are just as capable of successfully filling nine minutes as they are their average four minute songs. Void Reprise brings the sound back to basics- a simple piano cover of Void proves to be just as poignantly striking as the original.

Continuing along their own distinctive path of electronica, Seekae mix it up again with Centaur where the “ghetto” sound becomes most apparent, with an opening that could almost pass for a chart-topping hip-hop track. Any hope (or disdain at the possibility) of this is dashed when Seekae’s trademark, towering synth is overlayed. The album closes with Forest Fire, a short, piano-based track that could easily serve as a finale to the most heart wrenching of films.

The re-release is packaged with a bonus disc of four remixes and a cover of Pivot’s O Soundtrack My Heart. The remixes vary in quality, with the remix of Megastick Fanfare’s June Strangelets and the Pivot cover being standouts that showcase Seekae’s ability to rearrange tracks into entirely different, almost unrecognisable forms.

Most recently, along with supporting Midnight Juggernauts and Decoder Ring, Seekae were nominated for the ‘Record of the Year’- an award that The Presets won last year- and awarded the Best Live Music Act at this year’s SMAC Awards. These is not surprising given their move to playing “party hip-hop tracks and songs with higher BPMs” as admitted by synth/drums player George Nicholas and their suburb debut album. Combine these with a further string of support shows and festival slots coming up over summer, it seems label Rice is Nice has made a wise investment in re-issuing this stunning collection of tracks from one of Sydney’s finest young acts.