As I understand it, Ui (to say this, just say "you - eeeeeeeeh", I think) is mainly Sasha Frere-Jones on bass and percussionist Clem Waldmann. On Answers they're joined by Erik Sanko and Wilbo Wright. Now, Frere-Jones is a critic for various magazines and such. He has stuff in the Village Voice, Wire and Slate to name just a few. He is, in fact, one of my favorite living critics. I find myself agreeing with 90% of the things he says and his writing is both personal and intelligent. He seems like one of the good ones, someone who's not afraid to correct himself or to stand up with unpopular opinions. His semi-recent conversation with fellow critic Gerald Marzorati in Slate was informative and a fascinating read. I've wasted many an hour reading and re-reading it. It's the approach to criticism and music in general that I want to have, that I'm hoping I emulate even a bit, albeit with my own personal twist. He's passionate about music, and to quote him, "getting excited is what it's all about..."
The excitement and intelligence with which Frere-Jones writes is carried over perfectly to this piece of plastic. The cover of the cd is a layering of wood cuts, all bulging shapes, but with rounded edges, layered on top of each other forming nothing even remotely resembling a recognizable pattern. The music contained within is similar, scattered and bulging. Never quite cohering into recognizable patterns, and this is why the record is so special.
Read above, I'm interested in the ideas behind music, I'm most interested in people pushing music, in the expanding of boundaries, etc. Frere-Jones seems to understand this as well, he, at least in the pieces I've read recently, is harping on this issue of recognizing the past, recognizing where pop has been. I think that's important here, because Ui seem to have a firm, confident grip on where music has been and they effortlessly tread those waters but push even further.
It'd be easy enough to write this record off as simple "post-rock" (winks to you, Tyler), but you'd be missing the whole point. Yes, the basslines are angular, the drumming and timing can be math-y, but there's so much more to explore.
Perhaps though, I should start from the top. "Back Up" is a driving, insistent little number, the perfect way to start things off. Chiming melodies interchanged with passages surging forward leading right back to the chiming melodies. There's no sense of build ups to release or any of the other clichés employed in this music. In Ui's case it's just a patient, if energetic, exploration of grooves.
Tracks like "John Fitch Way" scream of their No-Wave, mutant disco-y influences, all post-punk rhythms and hot funk basslines. I mean, there's even a cowbell. It's the same stuff played by the burgeoning (and seemingly mostly NYC based) group of people once again exploring the rhythms and groove of mutant disco and the like, I guess. But Ui seem more at home, like they're not just visiting, this is where they live. They belong here and this is where their heads stay. A more intellectual approach perhaps? Or maybe that's just me reading into things.
"Mrs. Lady Lady" is perfect. Starting with a slowly arpeggiating organ riff, soon joined by stuttered drums, syncopated rhythms melding into synth melodies and then the high hats start in, crashing all over the place. This is disco for a new generation, this is mutant disco revitalized and alive again. Dance-y and with funk to spare, amazing stuff.
"Answers" contains the building to crescendo cliché, but seeing as how it's one song out of many and it's done well, we can forgive it. Gorgeous noise crashing into itself and building for the full five or so minutes to an even noisier conclusion. One of the oddest tracks is "Banjo" which employs, unsurprisingly I guess, a banjo. Pretty incredible with slow banjo picking breaking into frenzied banjo picking backed by a steady groove the whole way through.
There are 13 tracks here and it's true that if you're one of those who need a singer to fix yourself on you may have trouble getting into this, but seriously, give it a chance. It's intricate and melodic, full of rhythm and perfect for parties where you want to think and dance, (Or do those parties only exist in my head?) not just dance without thinking. Ui are capable of engaging both your mind and your, er, groove thang. This is Ui, fondly remembering the past, but confidently looking forward. I'm won over.
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