Analog Missionary
Country of origin:
U.S.
Type of music generally:
Ethereal alternative pop/rock
Status:
Most recent release, Arc (2017)
See also:
Analog Missionary's site
Comparisons:
Meandering style like Godspeed You Black Emperor!. I hear a lot of Heather Nova, with tiny aural glimpses of Lida Husik, Kate Bush, Kym Brown. (damon)
Covers/own material:
Own
General comments:
In the letter with their submission to the Guide, they list some very ectophilic influences such as Kate Bush, Tori Amos, Radiohead, Peter Gabriel. While i hear little of these stylistically (though i don't know Radiohead well and so can't comment there specifically), their music does sound like something an ectophile might produce given the chance. This is, of course, high praise. I do hear very occasional surfacings of Kate Bush, and also occasional bits of Lida Husik and Kym Brown. Overall i think they sound a bit like Heather Nova, but with a meandering style closer to Godspeed You Black Emperor!.
The singer's voice is very pleasant, in the highish and somewhat breathy range. She's often a bit indistinct but that seems to fit the mood of their music, which i find to be generally quite dreamy and meandering. The band is best summed up as good guitars, drums and bass. They're quite able to support the dreamy mood with quiet, spacey instrumentation, but they often break into a much more driving, jangly, loud vein where the instruments move to the foreground. Overall it makes a great mix, without detracting from the dreamtime feel of the music. The lyrics and themes generally seem to support the dreamy feel. (damon)
Recommended first album:
Transmitter
Recordings:
- Transmitter (2002)
- Voyage of Demeter (soundtrack, 2004)
- Arc (2017)
Transmitter
Release info:
2002—self-released
Availability:
See website for availability
Ecto priority:
Recommended
Group members:
Anstrom—vocals
Kevin Kaiser—guitars
Russ Miglicio—drums
Tony Novak—bass/stick, keyboards
Adam Taylor—keyboards
Comments:
When i first heard the opening track, "Lilith", i immediately thought of Kym Brown. Then later i listened to Pygmalion again and the comparison was gone. I'm not sure where it came from, and i don't hear it any longer, but i thought i'd mention it anyway in case my first impression did have some validity. The second track, "Chaser", still sounds vaguely like Lida Husik in voice and style to me. The rest of the album sounds distinctly their own, with a bit of Kate Bush (voice and theme, and something in the bass line) surfacing in "signals", and a closing track ("Sundering Sea") that sounds a little like something off Sarah Brightman's Dive to me, though that's probably mostly thematic correlation, and the inevitable way that songs about the sea make you feel.
Overall i feel like i'm hearing bits of other ectophilic artists all the way through, but the only other name that really pops into my head is Heather Nova, and i hope that's not just because i've been listening to her a lot lately. But there's something in the lushness and tone of it that reminds me of her band. And of course the whole album meanders like Godspeed You Black Emperor! as i've mentioned elsewhere.
With a few exceptions that sound like they could be radio singles, the music generally meanders about quite pleasantly, not seeming like it's in a big hurry to get to a particular point, but not clinging to any one riff or style so long that it becomes burdensome. Catchy enough in places to get stuck in my head, but nothing insipid about it. Strong and loud in places, but mostly i get a very laid back and dreamy feel from this CD; it's great music for when you're feeling a bit off or quite tired and just want to lie on the couch and drift around in your head. I'll certainly be hanging on to my copy, and i think it will get its fair share of playing time over the years. (damon)
Thanks to damon for work on this entry.
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