Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Multi-Love

By: Allison Belcher
Music Reviewer

Artist: Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Album: Multi-Love
Release Date: May 26, 2015
Website: WWW.unknownmortalorchestra.com

Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s newest 2015 album Multi-Love was quite the pleasant listen. The entire album bursts with energy and a psychedelic pop-esque sound. The New Zealand and American band members of this psych-pop band definitely displayed a slightly different sound from their previous albums, such as II, the bands 2013 EP release. II exhibited more of mellow and calming sound, sure to help you relax and chill out. The haunting and sad lyrics of the EP II creates a different listening experience in comparison to Multi-Love. With Multi-Love, Unknown Mortal Orchestra goes through an awakening, and makes it a point to get their fans on their feet. The song titled “Multi-Love” on the album was finger snappin’ good, easily defeating out the other songs on the album as a newfound favorite. Nielson, the band’s guitarist and songwriter, produced Mult-Love with more optimism and good vibes. This opposed his earlier album II, which addressed the pains of being alone, giving off more of a lonely and sad feel. In an interview with Stereogum, Nielson points out that he wanted “to put danger aside and focus on love. A futuristic multi-love.” (Link to interview here) Nielson is inspired by complex readings about artificial intelligence, and the overall amount of confusion that he gets in the process of reading such material. Theories of consciousness intrigue and inspire him, opening a flowing portal of imagination and inventiveness. The heavy use of synthesizers gives Nielson’s sound a modern and unique twist, making his style similar to that of Animal Collective, Neon Indian, and Discovery. Nielson utilizes a slight distortion and reverb to accent his funk style guitar playing, specifically in his song “Can’t Keep Checking my Phone.” However, not all of UMO’s songs on Multi-love are particularly upbeat. There are songs such as “Necessary Evil” and “The World is Crowded” that presents a sound that is much more mellow. This effect is created by the moderate tempo that the crisp sounds of the drums bring. The lows of the bass and the tight sounding drums create a stellar contrast. Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s signed label to Jagjaguwar, who also houses artists such as Foxygen and Bon Iver, brings forth miracles, one of them including the introduction of Unknown Mortal Orchestra to the professionally signed world. Multi-Love, as well as Unknown Mortal Orchestra in general is definitely worth a listen, especially when cruisin’ with the bae down South Congress.