between time by igloo two

'between time' is the third full length album from Washington, DC area based analog/electronic duo, igloo two. Their first two albums have established the sound of the band; frozen tundra beat beds where synth leads dance on top with warm acoustic instruments rounding out the landscape. Their tracks have felt like little oases for the listener to hide from the noise of day-to-day life while still keeping the heads nodding. This new album sees igloo two taking a bit more time for their compositions to develop. Whereas the longest track on 2015's '[ep]' or 2018's 'silver eyes meets doctor robot' barely scratched 3.5 minutes, that duration is the norm on 'between time'. This sees the terrain illuminate, as if the light was shining a bit brighter on this day.
In reality, 'between time' was concocted in the severe solitude and loneliness we all found ourselves in since March 2020, in the duo's respective home studios, sending bits and pieces through internet cables, using music to stay connected to each other and to their creativity. Gone were the symbiotic studio sessions and on-the-spot breakthroughs in writing, leaving trial and error to reign instead of instincts. But there is something special in taking time with art, for in pouring over each minute detail, fresh perspectives can emerge and take things in a different direction. Much of 'between time' has been severely altered from its original state. Where before igloo two would have pretty much called it a day and moved on to another song, here we have methodical rerecording and polishing. You can decide what makes a better product in your own peculiar opinion.
The tracks on 'between time' live in all sorts of non-genre/composite-genre spaces. Lofi hip hop your game? There's shreds of that to be found in 'cold comfort', 'gravel cadillac' and 'purple dawn'. Feeling 60s shaggadelic? Cream guitar tones and psychedelic turns abound as in 'someone else's song', 'nothing ever goes away' and 'red & gold'. Need near-ambient meditative space? Look towards 'fall of the goat' and 'never make predictions'. Then there's the complete genre-mashes of 'lucky in lava' and 'can't dream away' which need to be heard to discern what exactly they are.
Throughout this remarkable work pianos twinkle, synths move from the background to the foreground, acoustic and electric guitars balance each other and, of course, the drums crunch and kick their way through. One would think igloo two songs contain samples but, in fact, everything is made in-house and pieced together, to give that Golden Era feel but with an eye simultaneously forward and backward, laying this album exactly where it is meant to sit, between time.

igloo two’s digital grit, pocket-based percussion, and enchanted melodic themes lead a curious listener to faraway sonic landscapes. Consists of Lee Durham (DJ Honest Lee, A-tet, The MOD) and Dan Bradley (51 Dusty and The Mighty Heard).