Review Summary: The Genre Is Self-Aware
Daniel Hunter has made a triumphant return. Following in the wake of successful LP
Full Frontal, the self-dubbed "stadium lo-fi" musician went on a two-year recording spree which took him to multiple studios, one of which was a ex-CIA spy tower in Berlin.
I'lle Grande, the ultimate culmination of his work so far, wears its myriad influences on its sleeve; it is polished, psychedelic, and distinctly Analog Rebellion at its grandest and most sonically diverse.
The album opens with its title track, and if anything it is this track that characterizes the spirit of the remaining tracks; the song itself grooves in a manner that could be called businesslike and carefree at the same time, and it is evident that Daniel Hunter knows exactly where he's treading.
I'lle Grande is by no means a reimagining of the "stadium lo-fi" style, instead being a deeper and more experimental examination of it. The intertwining of analog and warm synthetic sounds is more artful and tightly woven than it ever was, and while there is assuredly plenty of reverb and distortion there never seems to be too much or too little; when the situation calls for it, such as in the ghostly chorus of "Sing With Me Kelly", Hunter tones down the effects to deliver lilting melodies. On the other hand, the title track features washed-out, fuzzy vocal delivery juxtaposed with organ synths for a bizarrely psychedelic effect.
I'lle Grande is an exercise in orchestrated insanity. The madness to Analog Rebellion's method is as cohesive and unique as ever, and is a testament to Daniel Hunter's songwriting talents, combining uncountable influences to create something that is only vaguely concrete; it's solid enough to hold a distinctive shape, yet it seems like such a mercurial style that it could shift drastically. Analog Rebellion certainly has more room to explore and musical territory to chart.
