Gacha Bakradze - We Must Be Woods

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  • The prolific Georgian producer Gacha Bakradze is the epitome of modern-era Apollo Records. R&S's ambient sub-label, which once released music from the likes of Biosphere and Aphex Twin, now specializes in sentimental and soothing downtempo music padded by soft guitars, new age sounds and wistful vocal samples. Over several records and an album for Apollo (among many side projects), Bakradze has shown he can do a lot with those elements—sometimes touching and sometimes cheesy. We Must Be Woods is his return to Apollo after a handful of dance floor records. It finds him right where he left off, soaking in saccharine ambience. The first two tracks are among Bakradze's best. "Gather," with its trembling guitars, breathy vocals and dulcet tones, is immaculately arranged, with ensemble chanting towards the end giving it a Fourth World tint. Made up of handclaps and finger snaps, "Knowledge" is a glimpse of Bakradze's dramatic dance floor style with carefully deployed breaks and lots of reverb. The sense of progression, which Bakradze has been slowly improving over the years, keeps these tracks from floating away completely. The other three don't measure up. "Head Piano" is a jumble of drum breaks, sci-fi synths and instrumentation that loses the plot halfway through, while "Voice Image" is feckless ambient techno with an uninspired piano melody. "Sun Watch" is so cheery that it hardly makes an impression. Bakradze's recent work for labels like Cin Cin shows he has an exceptional ear for melody and arrangement, but We Must Be Woods proves he still has trouble keeping some of his cornier impulses in check.
  • Tracklist
      A1 Gather A2 Knowledge B1 Head Piano B2 Sun Watch B3 Voice Image
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