ESCALADE is the musical life
of US born, Tokyo-based, New Zealand migrant Greg Sullivan.
The global range is right there in the music.
Tropical cool, reflective, lightly funky and a bit bossa
nova jazz, "Xs and Os" (it actually has apostrophes,
but it doesn't really need them) keeps to the alt-indie side
of articulate sociable music. Guitar bass drums and breathy
voice sit right in the middle with an easy, snuggling tune
while sampled and constructed sounds decorate and elaborate.
"Pleasure Treasure" is more of
a mood piece, chilled and looping, with sprinklings of keyboards,
piano, phone like noises, srings and a beautiful trumpet
line. The title is accurate - it's a barrel of aural delights,
tumbling wantonly past your window for the whole of its modest
2 minutes 44.
The sound quality is a delight. Reports tell me that Sullivan worked
as a studio engineer and the elaboration of sounds, levels, locations
and textures is fascinating. Some mght hear this as a rather dry separation,
so distinct and clear is each part. But, done deliberately, so that
you really can hear every xylophone note and every cymbal splash it
seems to me like a big bonus.
On the evidence we have, attendance at an
early gig (UK and US this Autumn/Winter) and a good look
at a promised debut album looks mandatory.
www.escalader.com
www.myspace.com/escaladers
author: Sam Saunders |
