Lida Husik
Bozo

'Bozo' is a catchy album but very difficult to assimilate due to that tangible sense of emptiness that makes it feel extremely close at certain moments and cloyingly alien at others.

An almost dub bass and offbeat drums contrast with subdued guitar phrases often barely perceptible, but everything serves melodies whose sweetness hides a subtle and underground anxiety. There are many points of connection with a music genius like Syd Barrett, the first artist to hide his discomfort behind the false naivety of lyrics and singing: and Husik sings exactly like Barrett, a bit absent-minded, a bit bored, often filtered through electronics but never raising the volume too much. She is accompanied by an organ that ranges from the most liquid drones to hypnotic triplets à la Manzarek, to lullabies of the other century. The production and instrumental parts are always subdued, not to overwhelm this delicate tension-laden balance.

'Five to One', or 'Rats' if you prefer, for the '90s.