The Rational Academy

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5...according to our Brett on Wed 24 Jun, 2009.

Hear ye, hear ye, Swans is a CD by The Rational Academy and it's on Someone Good, which presumably refers to me. It's an immediately striking one, kicking straight in with a lovely, highly melodic psychedelic folk-pop sound that doesn't follow the current trend for burying everything under layers of effects but instead goes for a mixture of instrumental elements (both acoustic and electronic) that work off each other largely in an environment of pure clarity - everything's produced (by Lawrence English) and played so expertly that its nudity doesn't hinder its otherworldly feel for a moment. Proper high class ass that at various points reminds me of Mazzy Star, The Knife and Broadcast without ever really sounding that much like any of them. Be warned though, it packs its ten tunes into but twenty minutes but it's quality over quantity all the way and that's totally fine by me.

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After a year of touring, countless collaborations and time spent in hibernation writing, Australia's psychedelic avant-pop collective The Rational Academy return with their sophomore release Swans. With Swans The Rational Academy set fire to the edges of deconstructed pop, producing a record that typifies their unique vision of richly textured song. Colliding their trademarked harmonic density with a shimmering blur of distinct sonics, this collection is alive with luminous psychedelic anthems, acidic space-dirges, and depth-charged pop experimentation. It is an album that delivers a compelling journey through the outer rim of song-form and melody.

Swans also sees the Academy working closely with producer and arranger, Lawrence English - a collaboration that sought reinvention and transformation, each of the songs being built up and peeled back numerous times to reveal hidden melodies, unusual rhythms and delicate processing. It also features contributions from post-everything musician Mike Cooper and Australian icon Heinz Riegler.

Swans, the second release in Someone Good’s ‘10 Songs In 20 Minutes’ series, glows with a charismatic energy and organic playfulness that confirms The Rational Academy’s place as one of Australia’s most progressive pop outfits.

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