Many of us can link a certain album to pivotal moments in our lives. Whether it’s the first record you bought with your own money, the chord you first learnt to play on guitar, the song that soundtracked your first kiss, the album that got you those awkward and painful pubescent years or the one that set off light bulbs in your brain and inspired you to take a big leap of faith into the unknown – music is often the catalyst for change in our lives and can even help shape who we become.
In this new series, Music Feeds asks artists to reflect on their relationship with music and share with us stories about the effect music has had on their lives.
Here are their love letters to records that forever changed their lives.
Oliver Tank: Mount Kimbie – ‘Crooks and Lovers’
Dear Crooks and Lovers
Oliver here, I’m writing to let you know that I’ve always thought you were amazing and you’ve been a huge positive influence in my life both musically and personally.
I’ll never forget the first time I heard you. It was a couple of years after I’d finished high school. I was at University studying music and I couldn’t be happier. I was at a house party in the suburbs, it was a beautiful day and a couple of my mates were spinning vinyl in the garage. I thought to myself what is this sorcery that I’m hearing? An incredible mix of bleeps and bloops with sharp close snaps and clicks. Smooth vocal samples and beautiful crisp synths.
I couldn’t believe my ears. So I asked my friend, “Yo who is this?” Mount Kimbie he said. Soon after, I dived deep into the Mount Kimbie archives and amongst all their other amazing music I discovered the album that is Crooks and Lovers.
Crooks and Lovers could be released tomorrow and it would still sound as timeless as it did back in 2010. This game-changing style of electronic music is really something special and that’s why this release holds such a special place in my heart. One of my early aspirations as an artist was to make music that defined a genre and influenced aspiring artists and producers to do the same. Mount Kimbie did that for me.
‘Carbonated’ could not be more aptly titled. I love this song and it never gets old to me. The hiss over the synths and the tuned toms acting as both a counter melody and rhythmic device is pure brilliance. I love how parts of the album have very pop upbeat sort of melodies but with unusual sounds. ‘Would Know’ with the crowd noise mixed in is a jam. Then there’s ‘Mayor’ with those incredible sounding synths, and the list goes on.
So here we are, years later I’m back to revisit you once again and somehow you’ve managed to get better. How? I don’t know. Just writing to let you know I still think about you all the time.
OT
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Oliver Tank’s debut album OT is out now. This May, Tank will head out on a national album tour. See dates and details here.
