September Collective: <i>All The Birds Were Anarchists</i> (Mosz CD)

September Collective is a three-piece group consisting of otherwise accomplished artists Robert Lippok (probably best known as 1/3 of To Rococo Rot), Barbara Morgenstern and Paul Wirkus. The trio came together after playing shows together as solo acts, and it's neither surprising that they were billed together nor that they decided to unite for a new project together.

Although these musicians' own music is relatively distinct when compared to one another, they do tend to mill about the same territory. Each is good at creating sounds that are both sedate and calm but active and interesting, using subtle laptop textures and rhythm tracks alongside melodic chords and a smart use of repetition to create an atmosphere or mood. Morgenstern is the most pop-minded of the three, always working with her own voice as well as a substantial use of organ and piano to create more immediate songs rather than moods. In this project, her role is more democratic; she doesn't sing but contributes a variety of playing here, most obviously in the form of the piano that graces some of the more memorable tracks.

It's funny how art direction and a title can steer your impression of an album; this album brims with an organic, natural quality, despite all the editing, sampling and electronics that went into its production. Perhaps that is because there is a certain spontaneity to some of these tracks; it sounds as if they evolved out of improvisation and some of the happiest accidents were captured in the process. At times this improvisation is more obvious, such as the relatively freeform, effects-laden short track "Our Cat," or the strange, creaky excursion that is "Pausenband." At other times, things feel more deliberately crafted, with a more keen ear for musicality and less emphasis on texture. The longest track, "Das Meer," has a bouyant, muted bassline that provides a gracious counterpoint to Morgenstern's piano playing; it all has a bit of a jazzy slant without sounding sentimental or cloying. "Grundgeraeusch Der Wohnung" is the best of both worlds, both abstract and melodic, bridging the various gaps between each artist's aesthetic.

It's an album that floats by almost like a dream, but it's full of moments that are memorable. The rickety attack of "Primaten" or the wobbly nod of "Natura" are just a couple of the things that make me smile when the album plays, and makes me eager for the bloom of spring.

mp3s: Natura | Spaetes Licht
more information: Mosz Records | Myspace
buy it: Forced Exposure | Boomkat | Emusic | iTunes | Amazon