BEEDEEGEE – Sum/One
01. Helium Anchor
02. Like Rain Man [ft. Lizzi Bougatsos]
03. Empty Vases [ft. Douglas Armour]
04. Overlook
05. (F.U.T.D) Time of Waste [ft. Alexis Taylor and Lovefoxxx]
06. Bricks
07. Flowers [ft. Lovefoxxx]
08. (intellectual property)
09. Quantum Poet Riddim
Brian DeGraw, aka BEEDEEGEE (bEEdEEgEE to be precise with the capitalization) released his solo album today, Sum/One. One of the musicians behind long-time experimental art-rockers GANG GANG DANCE, this album is Brian’s foray into solo work. After more than a decade in New York, Brian has left New York City for the more pastoral setting of Woodstock, and the effect of the city to country is seen in his subject matter. Sum/One has obvious electronic elements that fans will recognize from his GANG GANG DANCE work. However, Sum/One is much more multi layered, the album reveals itself on multiple listens. Featuring contributions from Alexis Taylor of HOT CHIP and Lovefoxx of CSS, think of this album like a David Foster Wallace short story: you have elements you recognize and things that are almost familiar, but the events unfold in unexpected/unnatural ways, yet it all makes sense, somehow.
The album opens Helium Anchor, featuring a spoken excerpt by Rupert Spira, a ceramicist who teaches about a branch of Non Duality. From there, the record goes to deeper more philosophical levels. Flowers was was inspired by the relationship with a dozen roses Luisa (Lovefoxxx of CSS) had, after she went on an Ayahuasca (hallucinogen) journey. F. U. T. D (Time of Waste) was written after Alexis Taylor sent Brian an acapella sample (it stands for “fuck up the day.”) Songs like Overlook and Bricks are classically pretty electronic songs, with synth loops and the surprise beats and connections Brian is known, rife with samples and unexpected quiet points. Sum/One is an auspicious beginning, and a must for fans of Brian’s previous music.
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