Depressed Horns is a mail-art project from Weirdo Records’ founder and the self-described “long lost bedroom-fi stoner band” Goosewind. It is difficult to make immediate sense of their album Skate By, which combines ominous whispers, random samples, obscure instruments and low-pitched vocals. The guitars and synthesizers commonly placed in the background give all of these elements some form of unity, without which Skate By might just sound like a bunch of overheard sounds from a crowd. Depressed Horns is most easily comparable to Ariel Pink and R. Stevie Moore, but only if both artists decided to remove all of the fuzziness in favor of sampling in Beat Happening, The Blow, and Little Wings. Skate By may be one of the strangest albums released in the last few years, which means it may take some time to get past the instinctive “What is this?!” reaction to a first listen – but after some adjustment, this is definitely worth enjoying.
-JANE