Albums

Junkboy - Koyo

Richard Wink 07/06/2010

Rating: 3/5

Not many musicians are able to capture the ambience of Britain's green and pleasant lands. The winding rivers, the sedate villages, the picturesque woodlands; we're more interested it seems in reflecting urban decay with mundane social commentary, and bleak estate level dubstep. Whilst the core rots, the surface remains pleasant.

Junkboy specialize in orgasmic countryside daydream tunes, from the get go we are treated to Springwatch sound tracking orchestration, the kind of tranquillity that would set the pace of a ramblers walk. Yeah, it's a chilled release, 'Home' layered with taut guitars and sprinkles of xylophone is sleepy eyed, the vocals sung with all the gusto of a drowsy man feeling the after affects of consuming a copious amount of allergy relief pills.

A lot of the record floats along like a Tesco carrier bag caught on a swan's foot. Shimmering, breezy, folky tunes like 'Present', 'On the Shore' and 'Let the Light In' drift by unscathed. The interesting moments on the album are few and far between with the experimental 'Stendhat Syndrome' and the rocky instrumental 'Tones X' providing odd moments of excitement.

There are moments which touch upon Galaxie 500 and Life Without Buildings in the delicate meld of pixie like female vocals with Keatsish posturing. Koyo is a calming listen, which recalls long woodland strolls, and lazy afternoon idling.

Release date: 31/05/2010