Review: Jonti – Sine & Moon

Everybody please meet Jonti, Sydney’s hottest in far-out Pop music. Johannesburg-born Jonti released his debut LP ‘Twirligig’ on Stones Throw records late in 2011 and gained a good deal of attention for the multicomplexity of his arrangements that fuse Beach Boys Pop grandezza with DIY beats and his juvenile singing voice. To support promote their new signing Stones Throw released a mix of older tunes entitled ‘Sine & Moon Mix’. In fact, this was nothing else than Jonti’s ‘real’ debut originally recorded on a four-track. After the great success ‘Twirligig”, “Firework Spraying Moon’ 7″ and the mixtape as well, ‘Sine & Moon’ is  available as a free download and will eventually be available as a proper MP3 album.

“Sine & Moon” in its entire length is fourteen tracks with (nearly) the same running order as the mixtape. “Saturday Night Songs” opens the album with a decent lo-fi and heartfelt ukulele miniature. The second track “Red and Green” features Stones Throw Rap wunderkind Jonwayne with a few of his bold lines. Jonti delivers a Hip Hop foundation that sounds a bit like Dangermouse’s Beatles bootlegs, ending up sounding very nice. “Nightshift in Blue” is a highlight for its uplifting shuffle bass line and the melancholy surf guitars and synthesizers.

Moving on, “By This Morning” finds Jonti borrowing from Brian Wilson’s Pop and sound experiments while “Flesh of Morning” brings the soft breeze of left-field disco. Toro y Moi anyone? Enjoyable. Showcasing his funkier side, “Lost Machines” takes the retro disco approach even further – plus adds some of the greatest vocal harmonies. For the next three tunes the album looses grap a little bit before “Sugar High” asks you to turn up the volume again. It’s astonishing how well Jonti’s vocal layers and picturesque guitar goes with the stomping bass line. One thing is for sure, this is one free download you don’t want to miss out on.

Jonti – Lost Machines by Stones Throw Records

Download ‘Sine & Moon’ from Stones Throw.  Another notable collaboration with Jonwayne is on free download here.

Sven

Music fanboy. One half of Error Broadcast. Scientist, father, husband. Lives in Berlin.