Lafawndah — Tan EP (February 2016)

  ^{Lafawndah — Tan EP (February 2016)}
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Album release: February 2016
Record Label: Warp Records
Duration:     15:23
Tracks:
01. Town Crier     3:52
02. Ally     4:07
03. Tan     3:47
04. Crumb     3:37
By Andy Beta, DECEMBER 15 2015
•→   Even if the La Sorbonne–schooled, Brooklyn–based producer Lafawndah wasn’t swallowing a sword on the cover of her upcoming EP, there’s a touch of the freak to her music. She namechecks Duke Ellington on “Tan”, while her vocal delivery reveals an ode to Björk and the thunderous beat quivering through the first half of the track might recall her days as a drummer for Mexico City all–girl tribal post–punk band Nidada. It’s a strange mix of influences but Lafawndah hits all three with ease. There’s a paranoiac energy to “Tan”, an ominous vocal sample turned into a swarming beehive furious around her vocals. But around the three–minute mark, the tension breaks and “Tan” grinds to a near halt, entering into an eerie ambient space. “Show me what’s inside,” Lafawndah intones, a robotic chill to her voice. It’s an unsettling come–on, but one wants to hear more of what’s clattering inside of her head. •→   http://pitchfork.com/
Words / Angus Finlayson, Published / Wed / 10 Feb 2016, Score: 3.5/5
•→   Born in Paris with Egyptian and Iranian roots, Lafawndah has lived in Mexico, New York and Tehran, and recorded her first EP on the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. Unsurprisingly, her music treats pop as a place where sonic cultures collide. Her thorny songs, full of bold sounds and stark juxtapositions, emphasise the friction between her sources, and are often as tense as they are fun. The Tan EP for Warp takes the approach further than the singer–producer’s 2014 debut. But it remains hit–and–miss: songs as sparse as these need a strong voice to take charge, and Lafawndah doesn’t always find a melody to bring it all together.
•→   The opening half of the EP is her best work yet. “Town Crier” can be filed alongside Holly Herndon’s “Home” in a growing collection of heartbreak songs addressed to the state. Inspired by a trip to Iran, she sings, “Can’t find out how many you are / And what you’re ready to destroy / You gotta understand I’ll make you fall,” backed by a squiggly synth line and bristling ranks of percussion. “Tan” is even better, its booming, asymmetrical drum patterns echoing Lafawndah’s resolve (“Keep trying to brush me off / I’m not giving up”). That is, until the whole thing slows to a crawl in the outro, her voice dropping to a husky whisper. It’s a bizarre way to end a pop song.
•→   Afterwards, the weaker “Crumb” feels like a climbdown. “Ally” salvages aimless verses with a killer chorus. The pipe melody that spars with Lafawndah’s voice is particularly ear–catching. Its microtonal writhing might be the product of some centuries–old tradition, or maybe just Ableton’s pitch–shift function.
•→   https://www.residentadvisor.net/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/lafawndah
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LAFAWNDAH-294707697407167/
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Lafawndah — Tan EP (February 2016)

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