Imagine my surprise (and joy) when discovering that Azeda Booth have a new EP out, and free one at that. Since listing their debut album In Flesh Tones as one of last year’s best, I – together with a lot of fans – have eagerly been awaiting new material from this Calgary band.

Turns out Tubrek isn’t completely new though as four of the eight tracks are remixes of songs from the debut. But like I said, it’s free. And pretty good too. The new tracks - ”Fiji Inn Hearts”, “Neonate”, “Samoan Girls”, and “Squall” – are perhaps a bit more experimental (which is something they already were) than their previous work, but then there has been a change in the band, now making them a trio instead of a quartet.

I’ll admit to not finding the first three tracks all that interesting at first, but the beautiful “Squall” immediately became a favorite, as did the Goodhands Team remix of “In Red”. However after repeat listenings “Fiji Inn Hearts” and “Neonate”  have also joined that category, even if the high pitched synthesiser in the previous makes my cat turn her ears around. “Samoan Girls” is nice and mellow but pales a bit in comparison to the other new tracks. The remaining remixes of “First Little Britches”, “Well”, and “Big Fists” are more than acceptable. If it wasn’t free, I’d probably pay for it.

To download Tubtrek, simply go here.

~ “Squall” ~

Before anything else, let’s get the whole “I-can’t-believe-it’s-not-a-girl-singing” issue out of the way. Because despite the very feminine-sounding vocals, Azeda Booth’s lineup is solely an XY constellation.

Originally a duo when formed in 2004 by Morgan Greenwood and Jordon Hossack, Azeda Booth became five-piece when additional members Chris Reimer, Marc Rimmer & Mike Wallace joined the band in 2006. Their first EP, Mysterious Body was released last year although recorded while Greenwood and Hossack were still a duo. Their latest effort however, the full-length In Flesh Tones (Absolutely Kosher, 2008) showcases the current Azeda Booth.

If the vocals weren’t enough to throw people off when trying to define what they are, the music of Azeda Booth is no exception:

“They twist and flutter, too skittish for space rock, too hot for IDM, too concise and charming for glitch-core… The arrivals and departures are hazy and blurred, the tone both tense and delicate, the fuel potent and clean, the direction most definitely UP.” (from the official website)

The above quote is a good description of their sound – it is quite scattered and at times abstract, yet somehow the pieces fit together nicely. Broken down into components you can find bits of shoegaze, experimental, ambient electronica and pure pop.

While I’ve only just started to acquaint myself with Azeda Booth, and therefor perhaps still a bit lost in their mist, there are tracks on the album that speak to me immediately (“Ran”, “In Red”, “Big Fists”) and others which I am still happily discovering (“First Little Britches”, “Lobster Quadrille”, “Well”). Although the hazy moments may drag down the overall impression at times, In Flesh Tones is definitely worth to explore and discover in its fullest.

~ Azeda Booth – “Ran” ~