REVIEWED: Kane Pour

Kane Pour
Cat on a Paisley Shawl
(Housecraft)

Sounds Like: Tricorn & Queue, early Bibio
Genre: Abstract guitar plucks, synth excursions, kitty dancing

by Joseph Hydoski



Kane Pour plays as one half of the fantastic duo Tricorn & Queue, along with Housecraft czar Jeff Astin. Contrasting the works of T&Q, Kane Pour, and Astin’s various solo efforts (Abolicao, Xiphiidae) may seem pointless to the unfamiliar ear; each artist focuses on twinkling-star melodies and drifting, unobtrusively hazy synth excursions. For those familiar with the burgeoning tape scene, however, Cat on a Paisley Shawl will undoubtedly sound entirely unique.

I’ll preface the forthcoming ejaculatory praise by disclaiming my love for all things Housecraft. I have yet to receive anything but works of intimate, beautiful packaging and tones from Astin’s child, and the latest batch (including Pour) proves to be no exception. From the water painted insert, to the abstract swirls embedded on the cassette’s case, to the lilac tape with labels that resemble a close-up of Barbie’s garden, the whole aesthetic reeks of beauty.

Thankfully, the music contained inside Cat on a Paisley Shawl only bolsters my lust for Housecraft’s output. As an embarrassingly amateur musician, I can’t say for sure what instruments contribute to Paisley Shawl; I assume that there are some contact mics in a guitar, and glittering synths mixed with found sounds and field recordings (a style fairly normal for Housecraft and related output). Kane’s tape is beauty via fluttering chords of various instruments, slow-motioned male voices, and a field of tape-hissed haze blanketing Paisley Shawl’s ecstatic atmosphere.

Early 20th century Japanese author Natsume Soseki wrote a series of books chronicling the life of a housecat, and that cat’s anthropomorphized observations. Listening to Cat on a Paisley Shawl turned me into Soseki’s feline; taking naps on my owner’s lap and tasting the herbs growing in his private garden. I felt comfortable, content, and excited all at the same time. Some of the songs felt like little fillers but that slight turnoff doesn't deter from back-to-back-to-back listens. Do yourself a favor: drink some Earl Gray with this tape dancing in your background, and let Kane Pour make your chilly Fall sublime.