Blue Tofu
Primary URL: https://www.bluetofu.com/
In this review, we’ll be taking a brief peek at the group Blue Tofu and their new record, ‘Our Room.’ The ten track outing is a follow up to their well-received debut record. Blue Tofu consists of Andrea Matthews on vocals and Tim Story as the predominant musician.
There’s something distinctive about Blue Tofu’s sound right off of the bat. ‘Red Guitar’ introduces the record in a unique fashion with atmospheric production, intriguingly offbeat percussion, and soft, female vocals. It’s a brooding, avant garde sound that is carried on into the whole record. The sound toys with electronics as well, though it’s dominated by droning reverberated vocals and peculiar, yet compelling percussion.
‘Letter from Lockdown’ boasts a sharp chorus that’s melodic and composed quite elegantly. ‘Tether Me’ has a seductive aura to it that would probably be best found in a dark, smoke-filled club. ‘Lioness’ drives deeper into the catacombs of electronic production. ‘Sugar’ overlaps Matthew’s vocal pieces in an interesting way as well.
The band describes ‘Our Room’ as a record that “might be a little unsettling in its dimly lit corners, but it’s surely a captivating place to explore.” It is indeed dimly lit, though I wouldn’t venture that it remains overly captivating after you’ve been introduced to Matthew’s vocal style and Story’s arrangements.
All things considered, my brief glimpse into ‘Our Room’ was fairly refreshing, for some time. After a few tracks, however, the style begins to blur into itself as you can’t remember which track was which because they all sound similar. The production quality is certainly quite good, as are the performances on all ends of the spectrum. It’s a brooding record and perfect for late night listening. Is it an overly compelling place to revisit often? Probably not, because after you’ve picked out which few songs you enjoy, you’ve heard the rest.
I-TUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/blue-tofu/id4615459?ign-mpt=uo%3D4
by Brett Stewart