TIN FOIL STAR
MORT AUX VACHES
ALBUM STAALPLAAT RELEASE: JULY, 1999 REVIEW: OCTOBER 10, 1999

Like so many other, the singer/songwriter genre tends to be ridiculously conservative. People like last year's so praised Elliot Smith makes it feel that not much has happened for the past couple of decades. It's a shame, since tradition isn't worth much unless it's coupled with some sort of will to look forward.
This makes Tin Foil Star feel like a relief. The brainchild of the Belgian Arne van Petegem, the band has previously released a couple of seven and twelve inches on small labels, but has now made its CD debut with this limited edition release of 600 copies in Staalplaat's "Mort Aux Vaches" series. Tin Foil Star combines a conventional singer/songwriter approach with minimalistic electronics. It's touching, sad songs placed in a musical environment consisting of electronic drones, swirling analogue synths and penetrating organs. The opening track "Ruins" has an atmosphere so heavy and dense that it makes Tricky's Nearly God project sound like a party. The rest is slightly lighter, but both emotionally charged, inventive and really great. Especially the moving "World of Sand", which is coupled with a cover of Nick Drake's "Know".
I could have done without the eight minute dub version of "Ruins", but the rest of this album is as beautiful as a sunny, frosty February morning.

KRISTOFFER NOHEDEN