I didn’t know what to expect when I picked up Wildly Idle (Humble Before The Void) by L.A. based musician, Hand Habits. Initially attracted by the cover art, I brought it home to give it try. Wildly Idle was recorded entirely by Meg Duffy, and although having previously released music on her Bandcamp page, this record is her real debut… and a great one at that. It’s dynamic in its instrumentation, vocals, and overall presentation, but still maintains a focus and leaves you feeling refreshed and satisfied.
One of the first reasons I liked this album so much was because after the first three songs, I noticed that it followed a pattern. Throughout the LP, there are four “scenes” which divide the songs into a pattern of three-two, three-two. These scenes are pretty weird. They mostly sound like something from outer-space with a lyrically indiscernible, low-tone voice. Because the album had “parts”, there was a subtle feeling that each grouping of songs had its own vibe, making it almost feel like a play, or theatrical-work. Wildly Idle is meaty, and out of the ten actual songs, I would say that I really liked six of them, specifically “In Between” and “Book On How To Change”. The melodies are so soft and pleasant, but still contain a power that will get you rocking at times. Her voice has a gentle laziness that reminds of Peter Sagar (Homeshake) on Midnight Snack, but also sounds a lot like early Angel Olsen. I also loved that this album was self-produced, because the instrumentation had a lot of flavor considering the songs mainly stay in the folk-rock sphere. Overall, Wildly Idle (Humble Before The Void) is a charming discovery, and I hope to see it put Meg Duffy on the map.
Recommended If You Like: Angel Olsen, Julia Jacklin, Jessica Pratt
Recommended Tracks: 4 (In Between), 9 (Book On How To Change), 5 (All The While), 6 (Demand It), 11 (Nite Life)
Do Not Play: 2 (Actress)
Written by MacConnell Wilson on 02/13/2017