Veloce - headroom

I've long been a fan of Perfume Tree (Tide's Out, Feeler), and the subsequent incarnation of the band, Veloce (Veloce, headroom). Their music is available from iTunes at high resoluton without DRM; check them out. Following is my review of their latest effort, headoom.


headroom by Veloce

Veloce is what became of Perfume Tree. Perfume Tree was already headed toward minimalist electronica with tracks like "Flooded," and Veloce has continued in that direction. As headroom is missing Jane Tilley's distinctive vocals, it feels like a side project from one of the other members. This is not meant as a criticism, rather just as an observation.

headroom is a collection of minimalist soundscapes. Just a quick check through the samples available on iTunes will show that by "minimal" I don't necessarily mean sparse (at least as far as music in this genre goes). Most of the eight tracks have fairly complex rhythms; what makes them minimal is how slowly they change over time.

The whole album has a mysteriously distant quality about it; as such, it's a rather meditative experience. It's an experience whose quality isn't immediately apparent; it took me about 10 listens to come to grips with it. I recommend this album for the committed minimalist electronica listener. Veloce's self-titled album is probably a better starting point for those unfamiliar with the band's work, but headroom is certainly a worthwhile listen.