So I almost feel like a failure here, kids. Usually I’m Johnny-on-the-Spot when it comes to Justin Vernon stuff (of Bon Iver and Volcano Choir). If you know me personally you know my man-crush love for all things Vernon. I’m not ashamed. But that sneaky bastard snuck past me on this one so I must of been lookin’ the other way! Totally my fault. Lucky for us, everybody wins because JV and a bunch of other respectable people have joined forces on Ganygs and released a ridiculous album called Relayted a few months back. New to us? Fo’ sho.

Gayngs / The Gaudy Side of Town

Gayngs / Cry

Gayngs was a project originally started by Ryan Olson, Zach Coulter, and Adam Hurlburt, the latter two of Solid Gold. The three of them came together to make a sexy, slow burning record, reminiscent of old school R&B. Fuzzy synth melodies, fat bass lines, and evocative and ethereal vocals are just half the equation. The other half is the insane amount of collaborators they got to join them on this record. Now Olson, Coulter, and Hurlburt could be geniuses for sure, but I gotta think that the collaborations and complications that arise from a project quickly spinning out of control is what produced this insanely ridiculous music. That smoky flavored, almost pornographic music they were looking for? Well they definitely achieved that. Relayted opener “The Gaudy Side of Town” starts out with a clicking beat box vocal that leads into a white-hot drum beat/saxophone intro. The Justin Vernon Falsetto (TM) immediately says “sup girl” and Gayngs is already puttin’ the moves on. Did I mention searing guitar solo’s that I’d have to guess were crafted by Vernon and protege Mike Noyce? Damn. I also read that every song was written and recorded at 69 BPM (beats per minute) – that’s pretty wild.

Collaborators come far and wide from bands you’ve never heard of (nor me either, save Bon Iver and Megafaun), but they have to be legit to help make music like this. They even have rappers on this thing. Jesus (He’s not rapping, but P.O.S from Rhymesayers is).

The music is great, the music is interesting, but the vocals totally annihilate it. Now I have no idea who’s idea it was, perhaps Mr. Vernon, but they go down that Bon Iver/ Volcano Choir road where multiple people are singing lead vocals all at the same time. There’s like a cloud of vocals that drift in and out of every song. It’s a bit of a sensory overload. An overbearing sense of inebriation is definitely present and that’s totally what Gayngs was going for on this one. I keep coming up with bizarre ways to describe it to you, like if Kenny G overdosed on quaaludes, grew a 2nd head that sang at half speed, and lead a parade of porn stars through 4AM Brooklyn with a 1969 Carlos Santana channeling Portishead through his guitar at the caboose. Does that make sense? Hmmm

Check out the lead track “The Gaudy Side of Town” and “Cry”. I could probably put up any of the tunes on there, but these are the ones that got me first. Also, this link is totally worth a watch. It’s a live rendition of “The Gaudy Side of Town” from a special event before the album was released in Minneapolis. I’m already addicted.

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Filed under: Mind Blowing, New to Us, New to You?