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As we enter the clandestine studio of Psapp aka Carim Clasmann and Galia Durant, we find ourselves in a true parallel universe; a universe - according to Carim's discussions - fun and miraculous.
We are greeted by a female android who, with her seductive and scratchy voice at the same time (reminding us of Manson from Garbage) guides us through this visit ("Hi"). Then she lets us sit on the couch. Meanwhile, Carim comes, who was in another room. He introduces himself, then goes to put a record on his gramophone and returns to us, sitting next to Galia. It is she who speaks; she is the one who begins to tell their story.
She does so, measuring her words; as if every sentence were a sentence, of love or death, while from the gramophone comes a sound from another time; an apartment jazz; Diana Krall playing a Casio keyboard ("Hi").
We learn that Galia's mother collects protest songs; that her father has an encyclopedic knowledge of Indian music; while Carim spent his youth in the musical underworld of Cologne, before moving here, to London. They met through mutual friends who had the same musical tastes: Tom Waits, Cure, Erik Satie, Duke Ellington and, in general, .
They tell us we are listening to their second album, "The Only Thing I Ever Wanted", which will be released by Domino Records, but it is handcrafted, with what they had at home; trying not to make too much noise, not to scare the neighbors; so they don't call the police, who already want to evict them. They mention a track, "This Way", a bric-a-brac of mysterious sounds, crumbling into a primitive and hypnotic song.
Then we start talking about them again; about their love story, among ancient toys ("Tricycle") and porcelain dolls. At a certain point ("Needle and Threat") Carim starts beating on the table, on the armrest of the sofa, on whatever he finds; while Galia accompanies the music with words. The result is a sound similar to the percussion of the Liars. Another memorable sentence:
Carim gets up, checks that the gramophone is in place; then takes an old instrument, a sort of horn, off the wall and begins to play it. Galia also gets up and, as soon as the strings of "New Rubbers" start, she begins to dance, accompanying the rhythm with her fingers. At the second string attack, she invites us to get up and dance as well. And we cannot resist, because everything transforms: their house becomes a magical microcosm, where ancient toys and wax dolls come to life.
It's as if the whole world is enclosed in the room. Carim can't stop; he picks up a metal ashtray and starts rhythmically banging it on the wooden table and on his hand. After a few more beautiful and eternal moments, we sit back down and start from the beginning ("Hill of Our Home"). he says. Then, however, they ask us ("Eating Spiders") not to tell anyone about their work; making us understand they want it to remain something between us and them; something among friends.
At the end of the evening, we find ourselves bewildered at Kings Cross. We look at each other to understand what happened. The record seemed to us something tremendously intriguing; a more unique than rare example of electronic pop; a work that defies any definition.
Struggling tremendously, we might think of the Stereolab of "Dots and Loops". However, we say to ourselves that we have not only listened to a record and talked to people; it seems, somehow, that we have returned from another dimension.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Hi (03:54)
Hello
get out the abacus and count this
a funny story with a dark twist
the target's so big that you can't miss me
you're cumpulsive
and every page I turn I want more
I never know the next thing in store
cus you excite me like a locked door does
like a limpet
I wanna take your voice and drink it
there doesn't seem to be a limit
to all the things that I could do
I know how I want it to go
I know how I want it to be
don't make me think before i speak
or make me hold my horses
Hold tight
we saddled up if you can ride right
if you just think it then you'll be fine
fingers crossed that its the right time this time
your a fat swamp
we can visit for a fun romp
I really want to do the high jump
taking a risk with do us all some good
I know how I want it to go
i know how I want it to be
dont make me think before i speak
or make me hold my horses
I've got my eye on the prize (look at their eyes)
my beady eyes are alive (are alive)
although i dont know what comes next
I will not hold my horses
Hello
get out the abacus and count me
a funny feeling say I won't leave
the target's so big that you can't miss me
I know how i want it to go (I want it to go)
I know how i want it to be (I want it too)
don't make me think before I speak
or make me hold my horses
Ive got my eye on the prize (look at their eyes)
my beady eyes are alive (are alive)
and though i dont know what comes next
i will not hold my horses
I know what you thinking
I know how you see me
although it hurts
you're probably right
02 King of You (04:14)
Where's the bone, where's the sack?
Where's these things of mine?
Pack them up, put them out,
Coz there's not much time.
Oh, I didn't know
That you had feelings, too.
Oh, I never thought
That I was king of you.
Where's the shame in my case,
As I've fallen down?
To the drug, to the floor
In an eager pout.
Oh, I didn't know
How alone you'd be.
And I never knew
How much I'd have to need.
04 Needle and Thread (04:19)
You're on your last legs
Don't need me
There is no backup
No cut key
There is no monster
If I lose you
There is no needle & thread
That will mend you (mend you, mend you, mend you)
Don't you break
I will not let you
I'll make sure
They will not get you
Don't you break
I will not let you (I will not let you)
I'll make sure
They will not get you
There is no good pen
To write you down
There is no spare part
No common ground
I can't divide you
Cannot make you stay
There is no simple sum
No other way
Don't you break
I will not let you
I'll make sure
They will not get you
Don't you break
I will not let you (I will not let you)
I'll make sure
They will not get you
Don't you break
I will not let you (I will not let you)
I'll make sure
They will not get you
Don't you break
I will not let you (I will not let you)
I'll make sure
They will not get you
05 New Rubbers (03:41)
Come now, come and mourn me
It's so easy
Now I'm gone
My old bones are growing new bones
All the moments
That you send
I say that I don't need you
Don't come and tell you
What I should
And I'll break all our babies
Before they happen
Before they would
Do not fret 'cos I won't come back
I know my place
And it's not here
Come now, come and mourn me
It's so easy
Now I'm gone
Will I do?
06 Tricycle (02:47)
You know and I know
How we work and how we hope
We get all tied up
You made some magic
You didn’t even try
Fell out of your eye
And I did to
You canda tennon one hand today
My fingers get in the way
I get all tied up
You know and I know
How we work and how we hope
We get all tied up
I drag my feet and drag your style
Don’t want me around
Tie you up
07 Hill of Our Home (05:27)
We've left our homes,
for the dusty road,
though it weighed us down,
to go.
Now, see, burning in the sun,
fire in our bellies.
Today ate us up,
and never chewed.
Though we still rolled along, cause 'a you.
The change that we don't see,
is happening to me
though you are watching.
It is cold, it is dark,
in the big black heart,
of the wood, of the hill,
at our home.
We are all, all but left,
in a wit un-breath.
We are all of the pack,
in the fire.
It is green, it is damp,
by the burning lamp,
of the woods, of the hills,
of our homes.
Oh, how I long, for the things I have,
for the burden I don't own.
Do I know, how to please your head
pour the contents back, that are spilling from my back.
the day is long, and the spark won't call
No saw, in the chest.
It is cold, it is dark,
in the big black heart,
of the wood, of the hill,
at our home.
We are all, all but left,
in a wit un-breath.
We are all of the pack,
in the fire.
Oh you, the husband of the wife,
I know you are watching.
Oh you, the husband of the wife,
I know you are watching.
08 The Words (03:36)
Oh
Do you remember
All the seconds
You are awake
Yes
We take a lantern
And we go back
To your place
Oh
I won't abandon
My foolish notion
It's too much fun
Though
You say it's all right
You do not ask me what I've done
Are we
To make an effort
How might I weave it [???]
And count each one
I know
'Cos I can do it
And when I've done it
I will have won
Why
Can't I abandon
I need a random [???]
The wrong idea
I need
To make an edit
I need to change how I appear
I don't doubt
I know you know me
It's about
The words that throw me
Stammer a line
Burn out of change
There's ink on your hands
And a tear on your page
Half-found intentions are met with a frown
The simplest plans can drag you down
I don't doubt
I know you know me
It's about
The words that throw me
I don't doubt
I know you know me
It's about
The words that throw me
Tell me
Why does it matter
If there's no pattern
To what we do
I know
That only logic
When there's magic
Between me and you
All
Of a sudden
Now you are hidden
From my view
How
Do I get you back
And make an old love
New
I don't doubt
I know you know me
It's about
The words that throw me
I don't doubt
I know you know me
It's about
The words that throw me
10 Eating Spiders (04:14)
There's a man in the street
Who tells me that he loves me
God is everywhere
He says he lives above me
I know more about this man
Than i know about you
Further than we go
In what we go through
We are small
We are small people [x4]
There's a day in a month
When I know why we're here
And no one drags us down
When you flip my gear
My mother doesn't love you
Even though she tries
I told her so many things
I forget the lies
We are small
We are small people [x4]
You will take the whole of me [x8]
The whole of me
11 Upstairs (03:47)
Teach me the way
To be humble and good
To be quiet when I should
To be great
I am not what I was
Or what I will be
There is no one guessing for me
There’s a draft like a well
And a warm wet smell
And there is no one to break the fall
It’s so patient and meek
And you mouth never speaks
Of the times when our hopes die
There’s a draft like a well
And a warm wet smell
And there’s no one to break the fall
Teach me the way
To be humble and good
To be quiet when I should
To be great
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