HealeyIsland: Not Afternoon, But Evening

“Not Afternoon, But Evening” is the 2nd album from solo electronic artist HealeyIsland, signed to the White Label Music independent, and like his previous work is mainly electronic and an all-but-indefinable blend of lounge, techno, and downtempo influences. It’s an intriguing combination of sounds; the album explores the shadowy territory on the border of all these genres. As the title suggests, this album is darker than HealeyIsland’s debut release, though still containing snatches of humour in parts it has a dark, downbeat and introspective feel. The first few tracks on the album are low-key and instrumental- rather than making every track a big event Healey Island obviously knows what he wants to express, and slowly leads you into an album of considerable depth and subtlety.
“Your Final Journey” is the album’s first real statement of intent, containing bolder downtempo beats under a deep, eccentric lounge vocal and sparkling lead line. Slurred, indecipherable vocal samples complete the mix, lending the track a mysterious aspect that continues throughout the album. Like the next track, “Edwardian American Prefab”, much of this album edges into more uneasy territory with a lurking sense of self-doubt and accusation. “Ballad of a Nobody” is one of the standout tracks, and also the track that expresses this insecurity most clearly with the mocking humour of the lyrics addressed to a “shaven-headed fool” whose life is “way off track”, offset by bright cascading synths.
Although it often has dark undertones, the album as a whole is far from being unremitting gloom. “Moments After Joining” is one of the more upbeat moments, with a brilliantly exaggerated deep, smooth, unintelligible yet somehow euphoric vocal that feels like a celebration of the music in its lack of a need to be understood. A twisting jazzy instrumental and organic-feeling bass add up to make this my personal favourite from the album. “Red Car Crossing A Dimly Lit Bridge” contrasts this with acid electronic sounds, and more half-heard, distorted vocal samples return the sense of menace.
Euphoria never lasts for long before the album returns to lonely, twilight urban surroundings and smokey basement clubs. “Recriminations” is another standout, with more dark playfulness in the threatening, robotic vocal, before “Facsimile Fountain” which effectively utilizes a fast/ slow dynamic where some anger finally breaks through the surface in the more driving electronic sections. This is followed by the album’s one genuinely shocking moment, more so for the quietly restrained feel that much of the album retains despite its inventiveness.
“Not Afternoon, But Evening” is definitely head music- claustrophobic in places and understated in others, but crucially maintains a quirky creativity, coherence and balance between lightness and shade that make it a very rewarding listen.

You can find HealeyIsland here:
http://www.last.fm/music/HealeyIsland
http://www.myspace.com/healeyanalogueisland