Blue States - 'Man Mountain' (XL)
3/5
By: Thomas Hannan
It's sad to say, but soon, summer will be gone: finished before it even started, not to return for another twelve months... It's very nearly time to let go. But certainly not before Blue States have reminded us of a few things - namely, in this season of rainfall and cloud, what our summer really should have sounded like.
The brain behind the outfit is Andy Dragazis, a musician of Greek origin who seems intent on transporting some of his homeland's rays over the continent with him. This, his latest LP, unquestionably gives them a good home, effortlessly combining the odd traditional Mediterranean flair here and there, along with familiar laid-back pop-melancholia. It sits nicely alongside contemporary chill-out music, but offers the twist of relying solely upon instrumental talent instead of soulless, electronically-produced gadgetry.
'Man Mountain', Dragazis' second full-length release as Blue States, is an ambitious project to say the least, and one that has been pulled off with an inscrutably high level of competence and skill. Complex string-arrangements marry romantically with sweeping acoustics and the dulcet tones of vocalist Tahita Bulmer (who also grew up overseas, adding perhaps yet more to the continental feel), all joining to form a wonderfully warm and comforting listen.
Each track on 'Man Mountain' creates a similar effect, one of an altogether calming and restful existence that seems never-ending. To most, this would understandably sound like a good idea. But a notable flaw lies in its inability to see far beyond its sun-drenched sounds; not that it isn't already musically diverse - as the numerous influences from the musician's home-culture demonstrate - but just that it suffers at times from being too tame for its own good. It leads to some tracks, for example 'Colouration' and 'Doublespeak, both relatively fine pieces of musicianship in their own right, being instantly forgettable... Suitably, as fun as summer is, a perpetual one would become mundane all too soon. 'Man Mountain' has the same problem. It gives the listener what it wants to hear - but never dares to surprise it with anything else.
When there are standout moments, they tend to come in the form of Blumer's vocals. Mostly, they follow a softly, softly approach, always a joy to listen to but never more-so than on the instantaneously memorable 'Season Song', on which she shares the microphone with a full strength Essex children's choir. In an album full of fresh air, it's such a little touch of sparkle that lights up the whole proceeding.
'Man Mountain', most would agree, is a worthy collection of songs that is never a chore to listen to and by no means a failure - it simply suggests that it Blue States could have been capable of so much more, his main fall-down existing within a resilience to never venture outside itself for more than a few moments...
Calming? Yes. Entertaining? That, too. But, exciting? Not as much as it could be; it offers us a soundtrack to a musical summer that would make a semi-interesting postcard - a pleasant time had by all, but sadly not many events outstanding enough to write home about.
Artists in this article: Blue States
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