Chin Chin: Deafness Becomes Me
Bathysphere

Beyond the pretty surface of Chin Chin's down-tempo sound is an unusual mix of feathery vocals, acoustic guitars, crisp broken beats, dubby bass lines, and near-subliminal electronic touches (note the quiet wave of crackle that intermittently pans throughout the title song). Frankie Binns, Theresa Connelly (TC), and Chris Cousin (aka Sofalofa) follow their 2005 album debut Shallow Dive with this short (11 minutes) but thoroughly likeable three-tracker, number two in a series of nine 7-inch singles from the Leicester-based Bathysphere. Vocals disappear on “Applied Pressure,” leaving behind a placid setting of delicate piano, blurry xylophones, and faded beats, while the folktronic “Monty” evokes a peaceful, late-afternoon seaside. Deafness Becomes Me offers an invitingly chilled contrast to Sofalofa's Magic Shopkeeper/Kids, the inaugurating release in the 7-inch series.

April 2006