Pilemil was originally a group of visionary arts and craftsmen who shared workspace, until they discovered they would rather make music. Now they’ve finally released their debut album and I’ve had a listen. I haven’t seen what they could do with ceramics, but if it was close to as great as their music, they wouldn’t have quit.
These Metronomicon people never stop amazing me. How is it that one tiny label can squeeze out band after band that all end up among my absolute favorites, even internationally? Have they found some sort of secret code to making great music? Have they been trained by voodoo priests in some weird place or something? beats me. In addition to playing in Pilemil, frontman Emil N. Høgset also plays synth in Center of the Universe and Firefly Effect.
Pilemil have described their music as “New Wave, Indie Pop and synth music mixed with catchy melodies, wild transitions and playful impulses: A mishmash of layered instrumentation and arrangements that blend into one big sound, both complex and pure simultaneously.” That’s just about what I was gonna say too, I swear.
If you take a bowl (for the occasion, a ceramic one of course) and fill it with a teaspoon of playfulness, a cup of Of Montreal, a dash of The Pixies, Firefly Effect and early Beck, some clay, a tad bit sugar and then top it with a little cherry, you’ll have something that probably isn’t very edible, but most likely sounds a lot like Pilemil.
All the way from the first track, “Woke Up Inside A Drum” through danceable and catchy songs like “Orly Cowboy” till it ends with the wonderfully new wave “No-Pil”, this album gives you so much if you’re willing to listen. With playful instrumentation and catchy, clever lyrics, If You Make A Lot Of Ceramics, Ceramics Will Make A Lot Of You As Well is a solid album and I haven’t got much negative to say. If anything, it would be that the album could’ve been longer.
Pilemil – No-Pil