Never quite got Subtle. I understand their brand of astute boffin-pop is quite the ticket for readers of The wire searching for the outer realms of melodic nirvana and I do think Dose One and co ARE genius's of the highest order....but the last album got on my tits simply because the immaculately harnessed technology and overwhelming scope of production irritated rather than thrilled. I much preferred the Of Montreal masterpiece. It was clever without being a big office goon in multicoloured jumpsuit and Christopher Biggins specs. However, this mini album of collaborations, 'Yell & Ice' just hits the bastard spot. It's got that breathtaking Anticon avant hip hop squelch and the kind of dizzying strange-pop nous that the likes of Ariel Pink and the aforementioned Of Montreal possess. Add to the mix a dash of sassy Buck 65 slide-guitar-arama, Arcade Fire/Flaming Lips stereophonic BIG MUSIC and some inspirational programming, then this 9 tracker (featuring members of cLOUDDEAD, TV on the Radio, Notwist and the esteemed Wolf parade is an hallucinogenic freak-hop feast that will beg repeated listens. A huge improvement on the album for me at least .CD only.
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What their label says...
An album companion to their critically acclaimed second album ‘For Hero: For Fool’. The band’s previous collaboration / remix album, entitled ‘Wishingbone’, was a companion to their debut album ‘A New White’ and sold out worldwide – ‘Yell & Ice’ is sure to do the same. Features collaborations with other very popular / buzzy bands TV On The Radio, Wolf Parade, The Notwist, and a one-off reunion for cLOUDEAD. To be filed under Rock (it’s a rock record). However, critics have claimed: "Like Outkast, Subtle are one of the very few acts taking hip hop in a genuinely new and unexpected direction" - Q. Subtle’s previous album was very strongly received by critics.
