Tether – Some Shape
4.16.15 by Ian Franklin

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Though it came out last year, this only showed up on my radar after a recent random search, and through that strange sense of destiny that defiantly creeps up now and again. I stumbled onto this beauty from Tether (Lauren Pakradooni) called “Some Shape” (C30) self released on her Normal Position label. A bouncing, repeating pattern of bass stabs stumbles forward punctuated by squiggly synth lines flying just overhead. Flickerings of stutter dance around within the growing structure. Higher pitched shimmers are slowly poured in. Soon, enough elements emerge that the structure takes actual shape, a bass drum stepping in to cement the backbone, tender vocals binding the muscles together.

Side B kicks off with “Infinite Joy”, a bouncing ball of a beat splattered with heavy shades of synth wash staggering around the edges. She capitalizes on the projected momentum letting loose with some Grace Slick-like vocals, swooping from above with ferocity. Tether works best in this loose frame of counterpointed percussive tape loop electronics, allowing herself to float in and out of whichever space may be available, casting distorted synths through the stained glass window and down onto the dancing tiles of ever drifting rhythms; their ultimate shapes remaining unclear. Supremely excellent mix of abstract synth pop, droning repetitions, and inwardly reflected synth iridescence.

Some Shape comes in an edition of 100 with risograph j cards and can still be gripped from Normal Position.