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Stephen Vitiello & Taylor Deupree, "Captiva"; "Lost & Compiled"
These two new releases from Deupree's 12k label have him working in very different capacities. On his collaborative release with Vitiello, his sonic perfectionism is the focus, all hushed melody and introspective expanses of sound. On the compilation, however, he opens up a bit and shares some early versions and sketches, warts and all, that leads to a very different experience.
Captiva, a collaboration recorded near a Florida beach, does not drastically diverge from the approach of either artist, but is another excellent example of both of their rich, yet minimalist approach to sound and composition.Split between two 10" records (an uncharacteristic vinyl release for the label), the oceanic environments are blended beautifully with various instrumentation and ambiguous electronic sound sources.
The first record features "From the Fish House" spread across each sides in two parts.Recorded in the afternoon brightness, the first half alternates between peaceful and moody, via slow melodies and slightly twanging guitar notes within field recordings that wonderfully channel the waterfront environment where it was recorded.The second half strips the guitar away to showcase spectral wisps and an occasionally jarring bust of low end, reflecting the setting of the sun and the presence of a light chill in the air.
The two pieces on the second record were recorded during the evenings, and that shift in external environment is reflected in the sound of "From the Main Studio" and "Last Piano (for RR)". These both take a somber, but not necessarily dark turn that captures night as well as "From the Fish House" did for day."From the Main Studio" has a foggy and disconnected feel throughout, broken up with sparse backward tones and processed guitar that looms in the evening haze."Last Piano" unsurprisingly has the duo emphasizing piano (played conventionally and with an ebow) and at first drifts dangerously close into new age territory, but is pulled back from the brink with some more captivating drone bits.
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Captiva makes for a consistent, organic work that nicely captures its seaside setting, while Deupree's other new release, the Lost & Compiled collection, has a completely different identity.This collection of unreleased sketches and alternate versions of released songs that differ greatly from what was actually released, and sometimes feature warts and imperfections that makes them all the more endearing.
The gentle static and subtle melodies of "July 032013" might not be too incongruous with his recent work, but the plucked guitar notes and percussive thuds are more boisterous than I am used to hearing from him, and as a whole it takes on a jazz direction."So Sleepy," an early mix of "For A Morning When," is another moment where Deupree is a standing a bit out of his comfort zone.A sputtering mix of what sounds like bass, synth horns, and processed music box goes in a jerky direction, resulting in a composition that is looser and more erratic than what I expect to hear.
"Journal (Rough)" keeps his penchant for soft and light organic sounds, but within its deconstructed organ-like sounds there is an unexpected appearance of human voice, something Deupree rarely works with in such an obvious context.The shimmering, aquatic sounds of "Sea Last (06.05.08)" result in another piece that takes some unexpected twists, with an interrupting heavy thud and jittery melody that come out of left field.
Captiva might make for the more comprehensive, coherent experience, but Lost & Compiled feels like one made for Deupree's hardcore fans.It admittedly hangs together less effectively as a cohesive album, and I think it is one of the times where it could be best appreciated by someone with a wider familiarity with Deupree's discography.The pieces never go as far as his early flirtations with minimalist techno, but the unexpected and odd directions are best appreciated by those who can tell how different the material truly is.
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