Dive Index - Refolded: Waving at Airplanes

Dive Index is a collaborative project of California producer Will Thomas, with vocals from Natalie Walker and Merz. Last year he released the album Waving at Airplanes, and over the time between then and now, he took the songs apart, sort of dub style, and with the help of several fellow producers and remixers, came up with new identities for each of the songs. It's exhilarating music - while it does settle into a groove from time to time, it doesn't settle in for long and the hallmark of this record is its changes in direction, which keep the sound fresh and your mind engaged. Here’s “Wish I Had a Pulse”, a hypnotic track with a languid vocal by Natalie Walker:

 

 My favorite track on the album is this Mike Lindsay (Tuung) remix of "She's Exploding". It’s got a noirish quality - sort of murky, muffled in places and dark, dark lyrics. “Bloodstained fingers” and what is it she keeps apologizing for? 

   

That's also Walker on vocals, but the mix distorts the vocals along with most of the instruments, to great effect, creating an overwhelming atmosphere that has you gently swaying until the synthesizers do a sort of stepdown and reset everything. This song has some great singing on it - really, the whole record does. Along with Walker, vocals are contributed by Merz, as on this emotive song "Say Yes to Tenderness":

 

Beautiful, sort of cinematic in spots, this album rewards repeated listening because there is so much going on in each track, and there is so much variety in beats and melodies from song to song. It's out now on Neutral Music. 

 Dive Index at Neutral Music