“Sea” by Xiu Xiu Vs. Grouper from Creepshow (Slender Means Society)
This pairing between Oakland’s Xiu Xiu and Portland’s Grouper was conceived for local label Slender Means Society’s “Pregnancy Series” of EPs. The idea’s simple: take two radically different artists and bring them together (“mate them,” if you insist) , however unlikely the combination may be. In this case one half is a freak-out prone, heavily percussive trio and the other specializes in massively delayed drone haunts. It comes together perfectly here, with Xiu Xiu frontman Jamie Stewart merely tapping out suspenseful, nearly melodic rhythms on what sound like hand drums while Grouper’s Liz Harris releases his tension with ghostly suspended vocals. It’s hardly an immediate track, but parsing the subtle shifts and textures is its own reward.
Xiu Xiu on the web.
Grouper on the web.
Cover image from SMS.
Enhanced Podcast:
Leave a Reply