Leap Second (studio album) by M. Caye Castagnetto

From Mercury 03/12/2021 03:44

(Unique art pop, avant- folk, experimental album that manages to sidestep easy description in basically every way.)

This, to me, is the kind of Art Pop (if indeed you can call it that) that really excites me. It’s the kind that sounds legitimately alien and disconnected structurally and sonically from the pop I’ve heard but yet has some ghostly residual DNA that connects it. The art pop that perhaps I react to more emotionally, generally speaking, is the kind that is essentially just somewhat unusual pop. But every once in awhile I’ll hear something that feels unique. This is one of those times.

As a matter of fact the music is unique and almost impossible to pin down to such a degree I find it hard to write or say anything particularly solid about it except to say some variation of “I liked it and found it’s form alluded me enough that I listened to it 3 times back-to-back-to-back and still never quite pinned down why I liked it”.

I heard some Bowie influences, some other snippets that reminded me of other artists, but generally the instruments used and the textures they made and the structures of the songs all generally struck a pretty amazingly unique chord in me. Loved the vocal performances as well.

Anyway, overall, this is described as avant-folk, freak folk and experimental rock on RYM and who am I to disagree. I heard also some truly ART pop. And whatever it is classified as, it’s a great album and one of the better discoveries for me this year.

What I like the most about this is that despite being a complex work of art, it doesn't feel like one, it makes for a very easy and comfortable listening experience. It could be its folk/almost pop overall sound that's responsible for it, but I think it has to do more with the lack of form/structure. You get the impression that nothing is calculated and this "randomness" so to speak makes you jump right into it and enjoy the ride without making seconds thoughts. But even after the excitement of the first couple of listens wears off, you start analysing and you discover more and more stuff to keep you engaged. So, it is both instantly accessible and at the same time has high replay value. All in all, a promising debut and I can't help but wonder what's coming up next by them.