Joey Anderson - Head Down Arms Buddha Position

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  • October has long seemed like a satellite member of New York and New Jersey's deep and dark house sound, a connection confirmed by last year's Gradiva EP for Fred P's Soul People Music. As such, it's nice to see the favour repaid with Head Down Arms Buddha Position, an EP from New Jersey visionary Joey Anderson on TANSTAAFL, the label launched by October and John Osborn. In what has been an exceptionally prolific two years for Anderson, this EP—for TANSTAAFL PLANETS, a sublabel run by Osborn alone—is essentially more of the same. It's more forthright than this year's After Forever LP, and not quite as weird as some of his best tracks. Still, there's plenty here in which to get absorbed. The title track is the hardest of the three. You keep expecting its gloopy bassline to do more than churn grimly away; instead all we get is the odd fog of dissonance and, later, a barrage of claps seemingly intended to lacerate eardrums into submission. "Tears Can't Bring You Near" is lighter, hinging on one of those Anderson-trademark synth lines that bobs and weaves around a hook without ever quite landing a blow on it. Anderson has never been one for easy pleasures, and the track's cascades of chords are way too unstable to be called soulful—in fact, as the thing wears on, they start to seem pretty discomfiting. Finally, on "You Gave Me Life Again," we achieve lift-off. Over a slow-chugging groove, its pretty chords and lilting Rhodes offer glimmers of cosmic release. Only glimmers, mind, but in Anderson's universe that's all we need.
  • Tracklist
      A1 Head Down Arms Buddha Position B1 Tears Can’t bring You Near B2 You Gave Me Life Again
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