Unknown Mortal Orchestra - Multi-Love

On paper, ‘Multi-Love’ deals with the dramatics highs and lows of a relationship. Everyday emotions rule the roost, but it’s not quite as it seems. Clue’s in the title: This isn’t just one strand of love Nielson’s dealing with. It’s arriving from all sides, overflowing the conscience and kicking aside sanity. Just like with the last two records, nothing’s delivered one-dimensionally with Unknown Mortal Orchestra. ‘Multi-Love’’s title-track is a spiralling R&B ballad, but vocals sound like they’re being submerged in ether. It’s a disco track, if the disco was attended by brain-rotting zombies. Same goes for ‘Stage or Screen’, a romantic road trip where the wheels are spinning off into the distance.

On the odd occasion, regularity resumes. ‘Necessary Evil’ is a gorgeous, straight-down-the-line number, Nielson’s no-frills vocal being backed by horns, of all things. But if confusion takes a backseat, it returns triumphantly on closer ‘Puzzles’, which scatters hundreds of jigsaw pieces down the back of the sofa, no hope in hell of ever being rediscovered. By building his own synths and meeting his troubles head-on, Nielson has created a bizarre take on romance, one that for the most part breeds devastating results. ‘Like Acid Rain’ - a barmy, fleeting two-minute dose of psych - shows the studio-head at his best, always on the brink of losing control. He sounds like Prince on a roller coaster.

Tags: Album Reviews, Reviews, Jagjaguwar, Unknown Mortal Orchestra