Some records have the power to transport the listener
into weird and wonderful pastures, locking the hustle
and bustle of real life out for a moment in favour of
smart narratives and heavenly ambiences. Jimmy Behan’s
first album, Days Are What We Live In, undoubtedly
evolves outside of reality.
Behan’s contribution to Elusive Records’s
Eklectra
compilation, released earlier this year, gave just a
tiny insight into his dreamy poptronic, yet it was enough
for his name to be mentioned on about every review.
Although Days Are What We Live In is his first
proper full-length release, Behan has been an active
member of the Irish electronic scene for some time.
Often found on producing duties, with a handful of compilations
under his belt, he has also played live alongside the
likes of Four Tet,
Lali Puna, Murcof and
Manitoba. Following
a split single with Connect Four Orchestra and a first
solo EP, both released in 2001, Behan collects on his
debut album a series of delicate compositions, often
based on fragile acoustic sounds and textures, and carefully
layered into rich and voluptuous slices of goodness.
Although his sound structures are unquestionably complex,
with electronic and acoustic elements finely entwined
to the point of sometimes becoming almost indiscernible,
Behan shapes them into beautiful pastoral melodies and
deceptively simple musical vignettes. From the opening
moments of Granby Row, the listener is caught
up in swirling acoustic guitars forming melodies over
a stubborn linear beat. Perfect introduction to this
album, this track pretty much defines the mood for the
next nine songs and firmly establishes Behan’s
sound. Days Are What We Live In may appear
melancholic and fragile at first, but soon, touches
of intense joy peace filtrate through and its intrinsic
beauty becomes overwhelming. Although truly personal,
Days Are What We Live In evokes a wide range
of sonic realms. Think Four
Tet gone for a long walk in the country; think Clue
To Kalo with pop sensibility; think Boom
Bip bathing in acoustic sounds. Jimmy Behan is all
that and much more. As he progressively unveils his
world, from the almost naïve Deeper Than Heaven,
which features Dublin-based singer Nina Hynes on vocals,
to the underrated title track or the sumptuous sonic
swathes of Dandelions, Behan brings new emotional
tones with each track while maintaining a consistent
atmosphere all the way through to create a truly cinematic
record.
With this first album, Jimmy Behan demonstrates a strong
ability at crafting truly personal soundscapes and developing
them across his compositions. Although his approach
is not unique, Behan manages to create an exceptionally
endearing piece of work with Days Are What We Live
In, and promises even grander things for the future.
4.7/5 |
