We’ve been itching for this day to come and now we stand within it, bathing in it’s wonder. Of course we’re talking about the release of Tristes Tropiques, the new album by prolific multi-instrumentalist and producer Todd Tobias (Circus Devils, Ricked Wicky, Robert Pollard). Hypnotic and melancholy-soaked, Tristes Tropiques draws comparisons to the eerie, transportive work of The Fun Years, The Gentleman Losers and Ian William Craig. Within his consistently excellent solo discography, Tristes Tropiques may prove to be Todd Tobias’s best work to date, sustaining its immersive atmosphere throughout its 45-minute run-time.
The album takes its title from the book by French anthropologist Claude Levi Strauss, which literally translates as “sad tropics”. Tobias sought to evoke far-flung places where indigenous cultures have either vanished or are in the process of being swallowed up by an ever-expanding global civilization. Sinister yet alluring, these musical environments throb with sensuality, danger and promise.
Tristes Tropiques is available now through Hidden Shoal and Tiny Room Records and comes bundled with the gorgeous companion EP Moorea. Head to Todd Tobias’s BandCamp to buy on CD and digital or check out your favourite online music store to nab yourself a copy.
