Activity : " Spirit in the Room"

 This Brooklyn-based band was produced by Jeff Berner from Psychic TV.  While the ambiance you might associate with Berner is hinted at, this is more of a hipster affair.  Minimalist arrangements bubble to life not unlike how early Fever Ray used to work. They ride the line between writing songs and focusing on just creating cool sounds. There is a slight Sonic Youth influence detected in the second song. It is not as dark and more straightforward in its jangle. The vocals are not deadpan but soft and androgynous. "Careful Let's Sleepwalk" steps closer to the shadows, there is much more going on with this song in terms of the layers of sounds that seep into the picture, but it drones more that progresses when it comes to the arrangement. Yet it pleases the ears enough to get away with it. 

On "Where the Art is Hung" the near falsetto pleading reaches up into Travis Johnson's upper register, which is a breathy not belted affair. It works off a dynamic ebb and flow that owes more to post-rock. Some great guitar tones are captured on this song. "Cloud Come Here" is a bizarre space folk song that hovers more than grooves. "Icing" is more like one of Radiohead's post "Ok Computer" moments of introspection. It is a cool sound that circles it's own drone.  "I Like What You Like" simmers on lighter ambiance. Johnson's vocals remain breathy on this song as well. Pleasing to the ears with really going anywhere seems to be a pattern with this album, but not a deal breaker. Dynamically it does build into something with a little more meat on it's bones. 

Things drift in a darker direction for the more spectral "Sophia". It remains disincarnate as it never solidifies into anything with a tangible nature until midway into things. The haunting vision of indie rock  shuffles forward  on "I Saw His Eyes". This song is delicate for the first minute then builds of a more post-punk tension that is tempered by it's more  shoegazing charm. The drumming could be more dynamic but works for what they are doing here. It feels like they are just jamming this songs ending out. "Susan Medical City" closes the album with another less than tangible ditty.  I will give this album an 8.5, it's original and well crafted even when the stylistic choices allow it to drift off into a haze.