Grimes - Geidi Primes (Re-Release)

This year has brought fresh talent and well deserved hype from the country that is Canada. Although popular trash electronic duo Crystal Castles have taken somewhat of a hiatus after headlining the NME Awards Tour show earlier this year, there has been an increase of promising artists from a great country. From soulful r’n’b crooner The Weeknd to hazy art pop quartet Braids, Canada proves itself a diverse and cultural country when it comes to music as this year’s Polaris Prize (Canadian equivalent to the Mercury Prize) nominations prove. Unfortunately, this re-release of Grimes’ 2010 debut album Geidi Primes doesn’t live up to the high standards.

Sounding like a Cocteau Twins record left in a cupboard for years, covered in dust and scratches from too many listens, Geidi Primes sounds like a washed up version of Cocteau Twins’ popular 80s record Treasure. Maybe this is one of those things that people will complain ‘You just don’t understand it’ but I’m not sure what’s not to be understood about the fact that Claire Boucher is whining like Veruca Salt and accompanied by an instrumental that is far from imaginative. After opener ‘Avi’, the rest of the album manages to slide into the background and if you’re looking for background music then this could be perfect for you.

Although this sounds like a weak imitation of Zola Jesus, the faded haunting vocal seems to be appealing as Rachel Zeffira adopted a whisper-y voice instead of using her classically trained vocals, for Faris Badwan’s side project Cat’s Eyes. Throughout each song, the chord progressions stay the same and after 11 songs, listening just feels like a monotonous chore. On ‘Shadout Maps’, Boucher creates harmonies with herself, possibly aiming to create a layered texture to her music but instead it just sounds like seagulls cawing relentlessly in the background.

My biggest concern though is that she has re-released an album despite releasing her sophomore effort Halfaxa earlier this year in February. If an album needs to be re-released, they’re probably just interested in the money side of it or there was something wrong with it in the first place. Being described as ‘post witch-house’, I’m just not sure Grimes is relevant anymore and her eccentric offerings fail to make a lasting impact.

4/10

By Aurora Mitchell