Mi Ami
Steal Your Face

Recently, things have slipped out of my hands. I don't have the time I used to, everything seems so out of focus and frantic, so far out of reach. I don't think I even have the desire I once had. Desire for something, I'm not sure what, just desire. I don't know where it went, maybe it's in the coat I took to the dry cleaners.
I don't have the time to indulge my bulimia towards everything, towards that which escapes my mind even in name. I don't even have enough time for the records I want to claim as my own or for the books I keep buying, despite everything, which form a worrying column that one day, perhaps, who knows, I'll read or will collapse.
I have records - or rather files - that have been sitting in a folder for months. I took them out of the folder, put them on the desktop. They offend the eye - I told myself - so I'm obligated to listen to them, damn it. Nothing. One evening I deleted them and what will be, will be. However, I've discovered the pleasure of entering a record store and buying blind. 16 euros I'd never have spent four months ago, with plenty of time on my side to sift through what's around me.

Anyway, one morning, with 15 minutes of freedom, I enter this ultra indie-snob shop with a downstairs selling pointy sneakers and clothes for, indeed, indie-snobs and an upstairs where they sell records you wouldn't find anywhere else and perhaps are there not because they’re liked by the owner and clientele, but out of sheer stubbornness. It looks cool, brother.
And so I start browsing. I discard everything I already know and which fills one of my imaginary lists of future acquisitions.
I'm tempted by the first Faust on transparent vinyl, beautiful, but I resist and tell it no, but damn it, you'll be next, I swear. I’m tempted by Sun Ra - "Space Is The Place" - also on vinyl, with that trashy cover that is a joy to the eyes and I tell it no, you'll be next, I swear.
Finally, I see this cover. Bob Marley's face on the front and a Jerry Garcia on the back, both shattered by a broken mirror that serves as the backdrop for the album title: "Steal Your Face". I know almost everything about Mi Ami, their descent from Black Eyes, what they do, so I convince myself, I take it. The owner, an indie-snob in flesh and Ray-Ban frames, winks at me, not because he's gay. I think. But then who the hell are these indie-snobs? I read a blog, it made me laugh. From today we call ourselves that. Amen.

"Steal Your Face" is a wild, feline, seductive album. It does me good. I listen to it the first time and I'm astonished. I listen to it a second time and think, damn it, if I had made a compilation of my own free will, it wouldn't have been so right. No-wave, post-Punk in the style of Gang of Four with a bass that grabs you from the guts to possess you; a guitar that can't be more ferocious and warm; drumming that seems like Kraut viewed by an African with that stunning rhythmic marking, bongos and all. No-wave-African-psychedelic if I had to give it a name.

"Harmonics (Genius of Love)", with the bass taking on a dominant role, if one day I had to spin records in a wonderful club located in the middle of the savannah, I’d place it in the middle of the set because if you put it at the end, no one leaves... people just stay there, collapsed on the ground and it's not nice if you don’t have a broom or a giant paper towel; "Latin Lover" is the black version of any track taken from "Entertainement!", only it's twice as long as almost all the tracks on "Entertainement!" and still ends up doing you in, and it's not even good as a finale; then, "Dreamers", is Kraut in the "Preteen Weaponry" style, but even more like drums around the fire, you damned hippies, you owe rights to Amon Duul II, filthy reeking junkies, '68 is over and it also has something subtly evil, like "Phallus Dei", but less explicit. "Native Americans (Born in the U.S.A.)" is still something from the post-Punk area, but suspended, something that, while not similar, recalls in intent A Certain Ratio, dancing and being depressed while that little voice keeps shouting and the concluding "Slow" is the concrete proof that everything, if repeated ad nauseam, becomes psychedelic, unsettling, alienating, enjoyable in its own way.

"Steal Your Face" is a wild, feline, seductive album. It does me good. It could have ended here, but also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, tip, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no, also no.