Smashing shoegaze, 90s rock and more than a little noise, Starling has created space for its own sound. The dynamic range is astonishing (especially within each song), and the way individual influences wax and wane from beat to beat is impressive.

Starling Forgive Me, (self-released)

One of the members is credited with "mixing", and while that might be seen as pretentious, it's totally appropriate. Instruments and sounds come to the fore and drift back as dictated by the needs of the songs. The effect is more subtle than that practiced by, say, Mercury Rev, as Starling isn't playing music that's particularly psychedelic. The result, however, can be mind-bending.

So yes, this is one of the most impressive albums I've heard this year when it comes to sonic presentation. The songs themselves are fairly straightforward, but the internal shifts do allow for the aural positioning that really brings out the fire. Truly, this would be a far less interesting set if it had been mixed "normally."

I hate normal. It's not interesting. You brought potato salad? Cool. Let me dump a pile of chorizo in there and see what happens. Starling isn't always that bold with its moves, but generally the extracurricular knob twisting creates something more arresting than the original. Headphones, of course, exacerbate the effect. You might get seasick. But it's more than worth the disruption of the inner ear.

Jon Worley