Blurting about Sinkane

Ahmed Gallab--the Columbus expat behind experimental act Sinkane--released his most recent album, Sinkane, pretty quietly in May. Probably because he was touring with Born Ruffians at the time. But it's his best work yet, incorporating lots of influences only hinted at on Color Voice.

I wrote a short feature on the album and Ahmed's recent escapades for Blurt, an online/print venture from the guys behind Harp. It's called "The Go-To Guru," and you can read it here.

Best Columbus albums 2008

Since I already gave away that Miranda Sound's self-titled record is my favorite of Columbus album of 2008, I figured I should post all top ten. So here they are, though after the top three the order itself doesn't mean a whole lot--some of these will switch spots with others, depending on the week, day or whatever mood I'm in. The point is, these are all great records. 2008 was a good year for Columbus music. (Links go to previous reviews.)

1. Miranda Sound - Miranda Sound
2. Times New Viking - Rip It Off, Stay Awake E.P.
3. Melty Melty - Rise of the Birdmen
4. Two Cow Garage - Speaking in Cursive
5. Envelope - Shark Bolt!
6. The Lost Revival - Homemade Confetti
7. Moon High - Moon High
8. Our Cat Philip - Apart of Someone
9. Sinkane - Color Voice
10. Brainbow - Brainbow

Sinkane strikes again

I saw Ahmed Gallab of Sinkane last night at the Gentleman Auction House show (which was terrific--review coming soon), and he said he'll be touring with Of Montreal in the fall. Apparently they saw him filling in for Caribou's drummer, loved what he did, and are bringing him on tour. Nobody even broke a wrist or anything. He's just that good. Ahmed = indie rock's new drummer-in-demand.

He also hinted that a Color Voice DVD might be in the works. Here's hoping it comes together.

Sinkane - Color Voice

If you know Sinkane’s Ahmed Gallab from his stints in hardcore bands, you’re going to have to wipe the slate clean, because that’s what this Columbus musician did for his new project. To even put Sinkane’s debut, Color Voice, in the broad, all-encompassing “rock” category might be a stretch.

Coming in at just over 30 minutes, the album is best thought of as one long composition divided into four seamless movements that retain a similar fluidity but integrate different themes and soundscapes. Sound ambitious? It is, but with Gallab as the multi-instrumentalist architect, Sinkane has created a genre-bending piece so fresh you’ll happily start all over again when the last looped notes fade away.

Columbus recently got a taste of Sinkane at a Wexner Center show with Caribou, a band Gallab recently started touring with as its replacement drummer. It’s a big break for Gallab, and it’s also a natural fit--Sinkane is like Caribou’s weirder, quieter little brother.

Sinkane’s stuff is also significantly less structured. Opener “Thick Device” is the most ethereal of the four tracks, setting the mood and establishing the fluent feel of the record with keyboard loops and backward guitar riffs wending their way in and out. The drums (Gallab’s forte) make their first appearance on “Color Voice,” still a mellow affair until the horns kick in and meld into a jazzy freak-out with dueling tenor saxes on top of a repeating brass melody.

“Autobahn” is the centerpiece of the composition, the primary movement. Not coincidentally, it’s also the only track with words, which find Gallab “singing in my head, singing all alone.” It’s the most compelling track, the added layer of woodwinds giving the song a weightless quality despite the lonesome vocals.

Any world music influences don’t appear until the last track, “Drumps.” (Gallab gets those influences honestly--he’s the son of a freedom-fighter journalist/politician who fled Sudan with his family when Gallab was six.) The song opens with a vaguely tribal feel that’s gradually overtaken by Gallab pounding away on a drum set. The sax and loops again take front stage before the song erupts into a full-on drum onslaught, then “Drumps” slowly, delicately fades away as you recover from the explosion.

It’s nice to hear songs with so much open space. Still, I wouldn’t mind a little tightening and editing here and there on future releases. And perhaps some more tunes, too; this debut feels more like a teaser of what’s to come, a handshake without the full introduction. But first impressions are key, and this is a good one that has me excited for what Gallab has in store.

mp3: Sinkane - Color Voice
mp3: Sinkane - Autobahn
mp3: Sinkane's live perfomance at the Wexner Center