The Avalanches, Wildflower
All the way back in 2000, a little bit of weirdness called "Frontier Psychiatrist," was a favorite track at my house with me and my variously aged adolescents. A novelty pastiche of samples, horse whinnies, and movie clips over an irresistible beat, every time it played I said (sometimes aloud), "Who ARE these guys."
Now these guys -- an Australian trio called the Avalanches - have produced a wondrous and long-awaited followup that is full of giddy joy. Remember that feeling you got when you first heard "Rapper's Delight "and realized it was made from Chic's "Good Times"? Wildflower will light you up in the same way, marveling at the sonic foundation of these dance and ambient tracks. For its use of sampled sound, it's in a class with De La Soul's 3 Feet High and Rising.
These two tracks, "Subways" and "Colours," will give you an idea of what these wizards turn out. Listen, and then go stream this baby.
Bonus: The track that hooked me on the Avalanches:
