Tracker Pixel for Entry

Basement’s Best: ‘What For?’ a strong left turn for Toro Y Moi

Music | April 10th, 2015

In the music biz, there’s an understandable element of danger in a visionary hard left turn. Time and time again, artists have followed their muses down the charts when their too-high flights of fancy glided on the momentum of their Last Big Thing.

Usually the gamble is a “bigger they are, the harder they fall” ordeal, and countering every electrified Dylan is a soul-patched Chris Gaines. Luckily, as musical attention spans have shortened, artists have begun separating their genre-sticky identities with a schizoid dissociation to keep fans -- and themselves -- pointed in the right direction (see: Justin Vernon).

Now relegated to 2011’s time capsules and Portlandia’s title credits, “chillwave,” the flash-in-the-pan subgenre that launched Washed Out and Neon Indian to the forefront of the indie realm, has left its progenitors scrambling for relevancy after having the rug pulled out from under them. Rather than languish along with it, Chaz Bundick’s Toro Y Moi project found the artist trying his hand, successfully, at house, nu-disco and now, most unexpectedly, power pop.

While one of the surest landing places for any transitional musician, the three-minutes, 33 seconds guitar/bass/keys/drums formula seems a stretch for the smilingly earnest Bundick. His confidence in the new identity is evident in his releasing under the TYM moniker, and it’s that same confidence that truly sells “What For?”

As if to forewarn listeners to his shedding of any “-wave” descriptor, Bundick’s fourth long-player begins with the sound of F1 racers speeding around some far-off track before launching into the Big Star-indebted “What You Want.” Sunny, phased guitar jangles bump up comfortably against crunchier power chords as Bundick shoots for his own number one record.

The back-half standout “Run Baby Run” just as openly mines Chilton and co.’s back-seat exuberance as the tip-of-my-tongue familiarity of the track, sated with blue-eyed backup harmonies, alternately appeases and frustrates those with any idea of the AM band’s importance to ‘70s rock.

It’s the most straight-faced pick of “What For?,” and those that revisit the album several times over are likely to pass over the track’s confectionary sheen in favor of its meatier companions.

Toro Y Moi’s early champions still ought to find scattered satisfaction in the record, as Bundick holds some of the stronger cards from his previous works for his hand here. B-Side beginner “Lilly” ripples with a downright funky vibe, buttoned up by a pincushion, clavinet-driven beat. With a silver-lined cloud of a chorus, Bundick meets his old self halfway, and the song plays off like a lost Todd Rundgren jam.

Part of the album’s success as a retro-minded foray comes from Bundick’s collaboration with Unknown Mortal Orchestra -- er, orchestrator Ruban Nielson and Real Estate hobnobber Julian Lynch, two experimental artists whose work has always been grounded in the headier side of 1970s pop, as their instrumental inclusion gels together enthusiastic acoustic strums and synth burbles.

Notably, the album does not finish with any allusion to the opening engines; no careening racers, no checkered flags. If we’re to find any significance in this, it very well may be that Toro Y Moi will continue down this new path for the foreseeable future, detractors be damned.

96.3 KNDS Suggests

“Not Far to Go” – Avid Dancer
https://soundcloud.com/avid-dancer/not-far-to-go

An ex-Marine (and world-class rudimental snare drummer) brought up almost exclusively on Christian music, Jacob Summers’ project Avid Dancer seems to answer a red-eyed “what if?” posing, as candy-coated vocal harmonies pillow this otherwise cocksure power pop nugget.

“Marimba” – Bitchin Bajas
https://soundcloud.com/hitd-3/bitchin-bajas-marimba

With a gently churning bedrock of arpeggiated wooden tones, the expansive “Marimba” ebbs and flows as ethereal flutes and synth pads phase in, out and through.

“Piss Off” – F.F.S.

The latest fruit of the collaborative album from the Scottish pop-rockers Franz Ferdinand and Sparks, the cult ‘70s art-pop duo whose dancey quirks inspired them, is a big middle finger delivered with an ear-to-ear grin.

“Lock & Load” – MNDR ft. Killer Mike

Amanda Warner, the Fargo-bred producer/performer behind MNDR, teams with the Run the Jewels spitter for an aptly violent addition to the upcoming “Welcome to Los Santos,” a companion soundtrack to the latest Grand Theft Auto installation.

“Puffer” – Speedy Ortiz

Brooding and razor-wired, the noisy Northampton, Mass., four-piece skitters and sears on this poisonous romp.

Recently in:

By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.comThe Fargo Park District will host the Kids Triathlon on Wednesday, July 9, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The event will be held at Madison Park and Bicycle Playground, located at 3010 11th Avenue N.…

Back-to-school season is on the horizon, but there's still plenty of summer left. Check out our favorite August attractions and events in North Dakota and western Minnesota. And if if you missed them, here are a few excellent May…

June 21, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.Fargo Theatre, 314 Broadway N., Fargo“We Watch Shudder,” Fargo’s favorite horror podcasters, bring on the darkness during the longest day of the year. The Darkest Day of Horror Film Festival features…

Fighting the good fightBy Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com Over two thousand rallies took place nationwide June 14 as part of the “No Kings" protest. Ten of those protests were held in North Dakota, with thousands in attendance.…

By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comWhy doesn’t the world require politicians to leave office at 60?Most of the leaders of countries, whether gods, fascists, democrats or socialists, are not doing very well these days. David Van…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com The weather warmed up quickly here in the upper Midwest this spring, sparking prime eating season. This means burger battles, food trucks and lake-season food travel. The 2025 Downtown Fargo Burger…

By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.comThe Moorhead Public Library will offer three free, all-ages outdoor concerts featuring regional bands this summer. The series begins on June 12 with the Meat Rabbits, a group that blends…

By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com Filmmaker Matt Wolf, whose lovely “Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell” suggests he would be the perfect director to construct the definitive biographical account of the wholly…

By Deb Wallworkdwallwork@icloud.comI first met Catherine Mulligan at a party at her house. It was a small gathering, spontaneous, just a few people over for dinner. Directed toward a stack of plates and bowls and a big pot warming…

North Dakota play about mental health launches Midwest tour in AugustBy Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.com A new one-act play inspired by patients buried in the Old Cemetery at the Jamestown State Hospital will tour festivals in…

By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…

The drug that keeps re-purposing itselfBy Ellie Liveranieli.liverani.ra@gmail.com There is a drug that is getting a lot of attention nowadays all over the world. It has various commercial names (Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus), but…

By Alicia Underlee NelsonProtests against President Trump’s policies and the cuts made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are planned across North Dakota and western Minnesota Friday, April 4 and…

By Vern Thompsonvern.thompson@rocketmail.com Working in the Bakken oil fields of the Williston Basin is so different from my home in Fargo. I'm not judging, because the people working and living in western North Dakota are very…