- Phil Kieran has always been somewhat of a mixed bag. Not necessarily in terms of quality; rather, he's shown an insistent desire to vary his output musically. Take 2009's album Shh on Cocoon. There's the glitchy, almost Autechre-like "Cut Copy Waste," straight up club tracks such as "World On TV," and then more emotional pieces like "Don't Look Far Away."
The Nature EP displays a similar sense of restlessness, in more ways than one. "Skin and Bone" for example, is brimming with ideas—probably more than required for a single track. Pleasingly rhythm-heavy and clocking in at over ten minutes, there are cameos from the triangle, a referee whistle, two sets of vocals, bongo drums and some rhythm sticks. While none of those elements seem too superfluous, a series of spacey swirls and laser noises certainly do. It's a slightly frustrating experience, with everything present but lacking the correct implementation.
"Natural Response" is built from the same basic blocks, but displays a more minimal approach. The thudding, heavy kicks and claps have been cloned, but the accoutrements are savagely pruned. As a result, it feels far more focussed, leaving room for a wave-like arpeggio to wind its way slowly up and down throughout. Last comes "Ladybird," an introverted contrast and apparently inspired by Kieran's childhood memories of collecting the spotted bugs. With serene splashes of melody and underscored by something that sounds like the Irish bodhran drum, it admirably conveys a sense of naivety and innocence. In fact, it's somewhat like February's blissful "Le Carrousel," minus the round-and-round feel. That is: sweet without being saccharine.
Tracklist 01. Skin and Bone
02. Natural Response
03. Ladybird