Alaska In Winter - 'Close Your Eyes'

Musical formats don't get much more indie than a split 7" single limited to 500 copies. However, this vinyl might actually sell out thanks to the presence of Zach Condon of Beirut on Alaska In Winter's 'Close Your Eyes'. This is a good thing; his distinctive ukulele and quivering voice get things started. Then a drum-beat is laid way back behind the ukulele. Although, the exoticism that instrument brings is undermined when Brendan Bethancourt's voice gets some ill-advised vocoder treatment. Where 'Close Your Eyes' is slightly over-cooked on the production, Marianne Dissard's 'Trop Expres' is anything but. It's just her sultry French voice and an acoustic guitar plucked with venom. 'Trop Expres' is like a promising demo, stark and could perhaps do with some fleshing out - as long as that doesn’t involve a vocoder.

Released 07/04/08 on Regularbeat Recording Co.