Seabear: These Are The Things, The Things That Dreams Are Made Of
I’m so lucky this week. I’ve been feeling just a tad under the weather and really needing softness around me – and that’s exactly what I got. Neighbours have been quiet, weather has been dull and dozy, and the right music found me.
I’m so relaxed right now and my arms are so heavy, I’m struggling to write this. What I really want to do is lie down, close my eyes and just listen, drift away.
I’ve got the new Seabear album on. If you’ve heard it, you’ll know exactly how I’m feeling. The Ghost That Carried Us Away is an exercise in soft, restrained, gentle, dreamy acoustic indie pop.
I can hear a whisper of Mr. E of the Eels in the vocal style. I can hear a silhouette version of The Shins, as if through a fog far, far away. Most of all, I can hear Belle and Sebastian as they used to be years and years ago, but again, only sketched. Sufjan Stevens is a heavy influence, but I am also reminded of Iron & Wine. That’s the best comparison I can come up with – Iron & Wine. Slow, draggy, makes you slump and not want to get up again.
I’m just… going… to check… my… cushions… are as… soft and fluffy… as I think.. they are…
(later) … I actually fell asleep. : )
Just looking up Seabear in YouTube and I see my response was entirely appropriate. Michel Gondry used Seabear in his film, The Science of Sleep (2006).
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40nvcGCyKh0[/youtube]
This is incredible. As some of you know, I have chronic insomnia, which is why you see me listening to music day and night. I wonder what makes this album so soporific? I have 754 artists/tracks tagged in my “music to fall asleep to” tag radio, and none have had this effect on me. Not so immediately anyway.
As I was drifting off, I heard “Just squeeze the blue out of the sky”, “You punched a hole in the sun” and “You’ve got a diamond under your skin”. The language of dreams; imagery to capture the imagination.
I shouldn’t really be surprised. Seabear are from Iceland, home of Sigur Rós, and are on the Morr Music label, specialists of idm, electronica and dreampop.
These videos are worth watching – they’re a showcase of what’s on the Morr Music label:
Part One (06.27)
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-RCQL6G2yI[/youtube]
Part Two (04.58)
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OVmiHQ0O54[/youtube]
I’ve got a craving for The Eels album, Blinking Lights and Other Revelations which I think should go well next. But where ‘Blinking Lights…’ is downbeat, rich and heavy with emotion and sadness, ‘The Ghost…’ is downtempo, slow and light. Like playing with soap bubbles. Watch the stopmotion video for this Seabears track and you’ll see what I mean.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0M6s_OIRNc[/youtube]
To conclude: after today’s amazing response, I think I’ll be listening regularly, if not daily. Don’t play this album in your car, will you?! Wait till the end of the day, when all your jobs are done and it’s time to unwind. That’s the time for Seabear.
Seabear – Cat Piano
Seabear – The Ghost That Carried Us Away
