MV (Matt Valentine) and EE (Erika Elder) have been key summoners of black magic zone outs of the rural/cosmic persuasion since the the beginning of the 21st century (since the year 2000 or so.) Their own label, Children of Microtones, has released countess CDs and LPs featuring the duo and their peers in some amalgamation. Each release stashing all kinds of cosmic debris that could only be gleaned by Valentine, Elder and friends.
The newest addition to the treasury of golden hymns spun by MV and EE is Alpine Frequency (COM 44). A numinous set of songs that walk the tightrope between krautrock, shoegaze, and ragged glory. The duo are joined by P.G. Six and Marc Wolf, both members of Tower Recordings.
Album opener “Please Comfort Me” sets the tone with spectral vocals and familiar wheat soaked landscapes before falling into homegrown grooves. Other tunes like “Come Around” follow suit where they start in one place and end up in another sonic time zone. It’s all pretty heady and rewarding stuff if you’re in the right frame of mind. “Stay High” is a lovely tune that hints at shoegaze while phenomenally still fitting into the scheme of the LP as a whole.
MV and EE have achieved a career high with Alpine Frequency. They have cobbled both their influences and their own musical/spiritual path together into one permanent song. Many paths are taken here but they all lead to the same road, the golden bummer road to unlimited devotion.
