Let’s jump back to childhood for a moment, shall we? Last night your 20-year-old German shepherd died peacefully in his sleep and your mother wakes you to hesitantly break the news. She holds you in her arms while you cry quietly. Meanwhile, the sun is rising pink through your cracked-open window with its translucent shade pulled down. Cue “Shotgun,” a mesmerizing, take-your-breath-away, drug of a song with a cottony, cloud-soft melody.
Ida has this phenomenal capability of capturing that same innocence and sincerity through minimalist, meaningful instrumentation and lush, gentle harmonies. A bit of electro-fuzzy space noise gets thrown in along with the cello, double bass, guitar, percussion, etc., but for the most part, the sound is simple, acoustic and organic — not to say electronic elements can’t sound organic.
After releasing three records on the Simple Machines label, Ida signed to Capitol, which originally had planned to release Will You Find Me. Surprise, surprise — staff changes prevented the release and Tiger Style picked it up. Regardless of complications, the result is atmospheric and introspective, yet social — almost as if the band gathered with friends and instruments in a living room and pressed the record. His Name Is Alive’s Warn Defever contributed his talents to the album, along with Retsin’s Tara Jane O’Neil.
Melissa Giannini is the Metro Times music writer. E-mail [email protected].
