image via jen gloeckner
Vine marks the third studio album for artist
Jen Gloeckner, and is her most experimental to date. Carving her own eccentric
footprint in the realm of alternative, the eleven tracks on Vine traverse multiple generic
conventions creating one of 2017’s most diverse records.
Produced
by Gloeckner in her own bedroom and mixed by Brian McTear (Sharon Van Etten,
Marrisa Nadler, War on Drugs, Kurt Vile) at Miner Street Recordings in
Philadelphia, Gloeckner channels the alternative scene of the 1990s, combining
the atmospheric aura of shoegaze, the broad genre of electronica and the
innovative sphere of art rock. Vine also
features contributions from John Ashton (guitarist of the Psychedelic Furs), Angela
Mattson (vocals and keyboardist of In the Valley Below) and Henry Padovani
(guitarist and founding member of The Police).
It’s
easy to compare Gloeckner to iconic musicians of these genres. The list is
extensive, but it’s obvious that these musicians have had influence on this
record: Bjork, Enya, Imogen Heap, Mazzy Star, PJ Harvey, Moby, Radiohead,
Massive Attack and the recent work of Lana Del Rey all come to mind when
listening to Vine. These musicians
may influence Gloeckner, but she manages to create her own distinctive style
and aura to separate herself and become her own entity – and will no doubt
become a major influence of upcoming musicians; especially with this record.
Vine may only be Gloeckner’s third record,
but she has already worked with top musicians (including working with Ashton on
his latest solo project – Satiellite Paradiso – which includes contributions
from members of the bands behind Iggy Pop, David Bowie and Lou Reed), and her
first two records – Miles Away (2004)
& Jen Gloeckner’s Mouth of Mars (2010)
– have received worldwide airplay and have been featured in some of the world’s
top music publications. The track ‘Haunt You’ from Mouth of Mars was also featured in Brittany Murphy’s posthumous
film Something Wicked released in
2014.
As
stated in the press release, Gloeckner’s latest record “continues with another
collection of atmospheric, mind-bending songs” which seemingly transport you to
another dimension. The combination of Americana, 50s sweeping jazz, 60s psychedelia,
melancholic lyrics and melodies add a certain depth and substance to Vine that is lacking in the current
sphere of popular music.
The
eleven tracks of Vine bounce off one
another, flowing through the different generic conventions of alternative and
electronica. The songs ‘Breathe’ and ‘Ginger Ale’ are complete opposites in
terms of sound and melody, yet they still flow seamlessly in and out of one
another. This is an occurring theme for this record, producing an audio limbo
for the listener whilst still providing a wistful dream-like trance that
Gloeckner has come to be known for.
Listening
to Vine, I couldn’t help but make the
connection between the music of Angelo Badalamenti, the composer for the TV
series Twin Peaks (and long-time
collaborator of David Lynch). Songs such as ‘Blowing Through’, ‘Counting Sheep’
and ‘Row with the Flow’ all harness a similar feeling to Badalamenti’s work on
the show. Both musicians utilize the combination of genres, most importantly
80s synth-centric pop and 50s cool-jazz.
Gloeckner’s use of ‘cool-jazz’ is
especially prevalent throughout the tracks, with a light brush percussion often
used on top of percussive beats (Especially ‘Blowing Through’; this reminds me
of Badalamenti’s ‘Audrey’s Dance’). This combination allows a weird sense of
nostalgia and timelessness to flow through their work, enhancing the messages
that the music is producing for the listener.
Gloeckner’s
Vine is shaping out to be one of the
best records of 2017. In the current commercialized atmosphere, it’s artists
such as Gloeckner that have the ability to breathe fresh air into the industry
to not only change the playing field, but to also inspire upcoming artists to
do the same.
Follow Jen
Gloeckner on:
Facebook: @jengloecknermusic
Instagram: @jen_gloeckner
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/jengloeckner
Twitter: @jengloeckner
Bandcamp: https://jengloeckner.bandcamp.com
Website: https://www.jengloeckner.com
No comments
Post a Comment