Relayted by Gangs
LABEL: Jagjaguwar

On paper, it almost sounds like a joke.

Some twenty-plus indie musicians get together and release an album of soulful soft rock, paying homage to Godley and Creme in one moment and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony in the next.

But make no mistake, Relayted—the debut album from the aforementioned collective Gayngs—is far more then just some drunken bet carried to an extreme. What could have been another tired exercise in hipster irony is instead a hypnotic, compelling, and totally unique release.

“If and when you can get past the sheer silliness of it all, Relayted is an extremely fun and wholly unique album, and I hope it paves the way for a whole new method of guiltless massive collaboration.”

Now I’ll be honest—I was almost predestined to fall in love with Relayted. “I’m Not In Love” by 10cc is one of my absolute favorite songs, and Gayngs started, according to what I’ve read on the blogosphere, with producer Ryan Olson and a few friends wanting to craft an album almost wholly inspired by that particular track.

While much of Gayngs debut clearly references that song—light atmospherics, steady beats, reverbed vocal harmonies—the end result is hardly some one-trick gimmick. There are flashes of Portishead, Vangelis, dubstep. It’s certainly downtempo, but it’s hardly accurate to call it laid back. Relayted simmers and slowly unwinds. I’ve used it to workout, to fall asleep, to amp up, and to calm down, all with equal success.

Relayted leads off with “The Gaudy Side of Town,” which I think is right up there with Caribou’s “Odessa” as one of the most infectious openers of the year. I’ll admit that the AM-radio wall of saxophones (yes, saxophones) threw me off for a few seconds, but I quickly got over it and became wholly immersed in the album.

Though consistent in its execution, Relayted is a diverse release. “The Walker” is a vaguely sinister promise to a former lover, carried by violent snare hits and an understated chorus, while “Faded High” clips along with a brilliant call-and-response, containing probably a good portion of Gayngs’ legion of contributors.

“There are flashes of Portishead, Vangelis, dubstep. It’s certainly
downtempo, but it’s hardly accurate to call it laid back. Relayted simmers and slowly unwinds.”
   
Something should probably be said about “The Last Prom On Earth,” the album’s closer, and what will probably be cited by those trying to pass this off as hipster genre-mashing tripe. “Last Prom” is utterly ridiculous, a synth-washed masterpiece of cheese that immediately conjures up in your head every prom scene from every 1980s movie that’s been lurking in your subconscious. It even comes replete with extremely embarrassing spoken word vocals- but your treat for making it past them is hearing Justin Vernon almost rap.

It’s the only moment on Relayted where Gayngs doesn’t take the premise 100 percent seriously, but there’s a good reason for it. Yes, it’s almost cringe worthy—but for what it is, it’s perfect, and when making an album like this, how could you resist? More importantly, however, it lets you know that they know Relayted is ridiculous concept, and that it’s okay to laugh. Without this sort of sly joke, it’s be too easy to just write Gayngs off as more genre looting—but if and when you can get past the sheer silliness of it all, Relayted is an extremely fun and wholly unique album, and I hope it paves the way for a whole new method of guiltless massive collaboration.


REVIEWED BY MAT LINDENBERG
MAT’S FAVORITE TRACKS: “The Gaudy Side of Town” • “Faded High” • “Spanish Platinum”
Read more from Mat on his blog, Everything is Unnecessary





“Faded High” by Gayngs (right-click & save)
“The Gaudy Side of Town” by Gangs (right-click & save)



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GAYNGS "Cry" from Carlos Lamas on Vimeo.