HeadSPace | Tides LP

It has been two years since HeadSPace dropped his debut Salmagundi LP on Jellyfish . In the interim, he has been wearing other hats… Mr. Muro is one of the prime-movers of Vancouver’s electronic music underground. He is cultivating a deep eclectic catalogue of original compositions from local artists, including Astrological , Nick Wisdom , 8prn , Boha and others, on his web-label Jellyfish Recordings . And he is also a key member Chapel Sound –a colourful collective of laid-back artists who congregate in dimly lit spaces around town to commune with music.

Last week, Muro released his latest EP entitled Tides . He had a few words to share with respect to the thematic direction of the project:

“Tides is about coming and going, things we love that eventually escape us only to return in a new form. The cycles that keep us awake and lull us to sleep.”

Sonically, the title is fitting in the sense that it conveys the ebb and flow of Muro’s morphing synth textures. With the intention of relying more exclusively on his own creativity than he had on some of his earlier sample driven productions, for Tides , Muro more or less abstained from sampling the recorded music of others. That said, the vibe isn’t far removed from his earlier work–Muro offers a selection of smooth chilled-out West-coast flavoured instrumentals. In terms of emotion, Tides feels nostalgic, contemplative, and exploratory. There is also a tinge of youthful innocence or naïveté.

I have selected two of my personal favourite cuts from the record to share with you. If these jams strike your fancy, be sure to cop the album for the very low cost of free .

Clumsy Alligator ‘s bittersweet interlocking plucked nylon-string guitar and whirling synth melodies tug at my heart strings.

To me, Virtual Spirits feels like a warm relaxing afternoon at an under-populated beach with a handful of gorgeous scantily clad women and a handful of joints–(I’ll speak for myself). The fluid cyclic modulation of synth textures simulates a palpable sense of waves washing in and out or the rise and fall of inhalation and exhalation.

[HeadSPace a.k.a. Eli Muro]

Wolfey