2 x Vinyl LP, Vinyl LP, Compact Disc (CD), Cassette
From the sound of things, Eddie Ruscha has been splitting his time between outer space and the beach since the 2010 debut of his Secret Circuit project. With March’s Who Are You, he’s firmly planted on the latter, beneath a fine umbrella. At least temporarily shelving the Secret Circuit name, Ruscha is exploring rhythm and tone as E Ruscha V and delivering an escape kit full of delicate electroacoustic exotics.
From the placid Bibio-esque Hawaiian coo of opener “The Hostess” to the buoyant calypso-dancehall hybrid of the title track, Ruscha finds a balance between meandering ambient gestures and exhilarating melodic refrains. Using clean guitar arrangements and his Yamaha CS-80 synthesizer, Ruscha’s work is inherently coastal, tropical, and considerably more terrestrial than his former outings as Secret Circuit. The gentle chants and hand drums of the concluding track, “All of a Sudden,” defy the dread and despair of our times and aim straight for a point of joy in paradise. If the luxury and detachment of a faraway beach vacation is immaterial, Who Are You might be the next best thing.
