Sleeper

by Carmen Villain

Overview

The involvement of Prins Thomas, Serena Maneesh's Emil Nikolaisen, and the largely electronic imprint Smalltown Supersound in a set of songs by a former Vogue model suggests any number of musical directions, yet Carmen Villain's debut Sleeper defies almost any expectations listeners might have. The former single "Lifeissin" recalls the intimate heartache of moody singer/songwriters like Cat Power with its yearning close harmonies, but the trippy interlude midway through whisks it far away from familiar territory -- and that is the most straightforward song here. Throughout the rest of Sleeper, Villain delivers what could be called fever dream-pop: these songs take surreal twists and turns as their characters try to escape deep-seated fears, only to run straight into them. Whether it's the sweetly narcotic "Two Towns" or "Made a Shell"'s psych rock, the contrast between Villain's aloof vocals and the wild sonics around her is fascinating, evoking Tender Buttons-era Broadcast or the harrowing beauty of Charlotte Gainsbourg's IRM. Villain is unafraid of taking listeners on very dark trips made all the more disturbing because of her detachment, as on "How Much," where an icy melody belies her murderous words, or on "Dreamo," where the way she takes down everyone in her path ("His name is Billy and he don't believe in magic/Her name is Laura/She's counting all her money") is undeniably compelling. With Thomas and Nikolaisen's help, Villain crafts sounds that are psychedelic in the truest and most expressive sense of the term, heightening her songs' emotional revelations in their shifting layers. "Easy" bangs down the doors of perception, beginning with bitter unease and then unfolding into something more complicated and churning as Villain explores the difference between dreaming and merely sleeping. Later, she does a 180 on "Kingwoman," where resplendent guitars and percussion propel the song into triumphant, tropical psych pop. An exciting debut, Sleeper is a rawer, deeper album than might have been expected, full of music that's more daring and more rewarding than the work of many artists without the baggage attached to Villain's background. ~ Heather Phares

Product Details

Release Date:	03/26/2013
Label:	Smalltown Supersound
UPC:	0600116083814
Rank:	112486

Tracks

1. Two Towns
2. Easy
3. Lifeissin
4. Obedience
5. Made a Shell
6. How Much
7. Light, See
8. Dreamo
9. It May Well Die
10. Kingwoman
11. Slowaway
12. Demon Lover

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Carmen Villain   Primary Artist
Lars Horntveth   Flute
Prins Thomas   Drums,Percussion
Emil Nikolaisen   Bass,Drums,Bongos,Shaker,Cowbell,Clapping,Percussion,Tambourine,Wood Block
Adne Meisfjord   Piano,Roland TR-808
Havard Krogedal   Cello
Eivind Schou   Violin
Morten Oby   Drums
Carmen Hillestad   Bass,Organ,Piano,Vocals,Cymbals,Clapping,Triangle,Floor Tom,Percussion,Tambourine,Synthesizer,Drum Machine
Milton von Krogh   Bass,Drums,Guitar,Shaker

Technical Credits

Bob Weston   Mastering
Prins Thomas   Mixing,Composer,Engineer,Producer,Album Sequence
Nick Terry   Mixing
Emil Nikolaisen   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Kim Hiorthoy   Cover Art
Robbie Van Leeuwen   Composer
Carmen Hillestad   Mixing,Composer,Engineer,Producer
Milton von Krogh   Engineer,Bass Engineer