bEEdEEgEE - SUM/ONE

Audacious soundscapes that drift between the realms of the mundane and the supernatural tend to be a gamble, at least when approached as a listener. It’s been known to work wonderfully with the likes of the astral Beach Boys that are Animal Collective, but it also produces some ill-advised psych-pop crossovers. Brian DeGraw’s debut album as bEEdEEgEE, ‘SUM/ONE’, finds itself sitting uncomfortably between both camps, as a bewildering journey that embodies sci-fi ideals of space travel in a pure aural sense. Pleasing in one moment and repulsive the next, it’s a challenging record that ultimately rewards with a commendable use of willpower.

Finding itself not too far removed from DeGraw’s work in Gang Gang Dance, the psychedelic trip is somewhat of a dance-inspired take on the band’s worldbeat jams. With a few exceptions, the beat is the main focus of these songs - so it’s a good thing that beats are DeGraw’s strong point. Occasionally borrowing from the proto-vapourwave sounds of James Ferraro’s polarising ‘Far Side Virtual’, ‘SUM/ONE’ explores the elements briefly touched upon in Gang Gang Dance’s material, and delves deeper into its more obtuse crevices. The results range from middling to outstanding.

The numerous guests add a healthy dose of variety to the proceedings, with Lovefoxxx’s vocal contribution on ‘Flowers’ jumping out as an immediate highlight. Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip even shows up on the seven-minute disco odyssey ‘(F.U.T.D.) Time of Waste’, a track in which he clearly deserves a bar of soap shoved down his throat. The few tracks that don’t feature vocals occasionally sink into monotony, but maintain the records flow regardless of the quality. The pulsing electronic clashes and animalistic rhythms froth throughout, only boiling over when it adds to the overall experience.

So it’s not the easiest listen in the world, even when it’s at its most enjoyable it can be hard to trudge through. But, the challenge of the record is what makes it so appealing at the same time, even when the results are less than desirable. DeGraw’s potential for growth as a solo artist is ever so present on ‘SUM/ONE’, but it’s evident that there’s a way to go with his abilities yet. Without vocalists his productions can fall flat, yet with vocalists there’s an excitable vigour to the proceedings. It isn’t quite as defined or as consistent as his work with Gang Gang Dance, but through persistence it certainly comes close.