Her Space Holiday: Manic Expressive

Marc Bianchi, the man behind Her Space Holiday, was one of Tape Op's first subscribers, but he doesn't need that to persuade me into enjoying this record. This was recorded at home on 1/2" 8-track, dumped into Vegas, Acid or Sound Forge on the computer, chopped into samples an bits, and then pieced together into songs with vocals added last. "No pre-recording songwriting took place," according to Matt. It sounds great. Strings, synths, guitar, soft vocals, excellent arrangements, harmonies and trippy electronic rhythms all pull together into something that reminds me of Air or William Orbit, but more down-to-earth. "Spectator Sport" is one of the few times I've heard an annoying journalist's comments get incorporated back into music since Robert Fripp's Exposure. Bonus fact: I'm starting to notice Alan Douches of West West Side Music on a lot of mastering credits for albums, like this one, that sound great. (www.tigerstylerecords.com)