Miniature Tigers
(Modern Art)
With its random falsettos, Gypsy-esque melodies, old world rhythms and Brit pop flare, Miniature Tigers' latest effort, FORTRESS, is the perfect headphone music. Released July 27 on Modern Art Records, the Brooklyn indie quartet's follow-up to their debut, Tell it to the Volcano, is easy to get lost into -you jump from whimsical pogo pop ("Mansion of Misery"), to Beatles-meets-Boo Radleys pop ("Rock N' Roll Mountain Troll"); find yourself in a magical daydream ("Dark Tower") then on a digital 8-bit dancefloor ("Gold Skull"); bobbing to ‘70s peppy AM radio ("Egyptian Robe") then living in group vocal oddity ("Japanese Woman Living in My Closet," "Bullfighter Jacket"); and accidentally meditating to peculiar Eastern chimes ("Tropical Birds").
But FORTRESS is best précised by its feathery, beguiling closer, "Coyote Enchantment"-it's a peyote-induced desert dream, where your '80s-era Prince spirit guide rips apart the guitar, indigenous tribal chants caress your skin, Casio synths trickle through your ears, and bonfire sparks dance around furiously while a sensual female chanteuse repeats a single word over and over again. You can even say it's almost cosmic.
DOWNLOAD: "Bullfighter Jacket," "Egyptian Robe," "Japanese Woman Living In My Closet," "Coyote Enchantment" ANNAMARYA SCACCIA
